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Your phone isn't secretly listening to you, but the truth is more disturbing

(newatlas.com)
369 points zeech | 3 comments | 26 Apr 25 00:26 UTC | HN request time: 0.72s | source
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intended ◴[26 Apr 25 17:23 UTC] No.43805450[source]▶
What rot.

Here’s a simple experiment I ran and still works.

Back in the day there was a truly ghastly add for ear wax removal that showed up on YouTube in the UK.

In an experiment, and prank, I told two of my close friends about this, and how this horrid advert would kill my appetite when it came up.

And then I made it a point to repeat “ear wax removal” loudly several times.

Sure enough. A day later my dear friend messaged me with something on the lines of “I hate you”

Their phones were Android and iOS. I believe it was the Android user suffered.

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1. sanswork ◴[27 Apr 25 02:58 UTC] No.43809117[source]▶
Or you told your friend about this horrible ad and they looked it up without thinking and got added to the retargeting list.
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2. intended ◴[27 Apr 25 20:17 UTC] No.43814774[source]▶
She wouldn't because she has much better things to do in life. Matter of fact, its an ad you would never look at, just because you don't even have a need for it.
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3. sanswork ◴[27 Apr 25 21:46 UTC] No.43815395[source]▶
She just spent time in the park listening to you shout about it for an extended period. And she's on YouTube enough for her to be annoyed by it so it's not like she doesn't have the opportunity.