Companies want to know what potential customers are searching for online. Using that information, they can target each internet user with an ad for a product or service that is relevant to what they're looking for.
But people don't always perform an online search for everything they want or need to buy. What if those companies could listen in to potential customers' everyday lives and hyper-target them with advertising based on what they're talking about?
The marketers at media giant Cox Media Group (CMG) pitched this idea to potential advertising partners, according to a report from 404 Media. The tech news outlet recently obtained a November 2023 pitch deck from CMG that detailed its "Active Listening" service and how it can target advertising based on smart devices like smartphones, smart speakers, and smart TVs.
"What would it mean for your business if you could target potential clients who are actively discussing their need for your services in their day-to-day conversations?" reads the beginning of the CMG sales pitch. "No, it's not a Black Mirror episode - it's Voice Data, and CMG has the capabilities to use it to your business advantage."
The pitch deck goes on to mention how it's legal for companies to listen in on users and collect that data.
"Creepy? Sure. Great for marketing? Definitely," the CMG sales pitch says.
Last year, 404 Media reported on CMG's promotion of Active Listening, the use of microphones in smart devices to listen in to users for the purpose of targeted advertising. The outlet just obtained the pitch deck last week.
Internet users have long speculated that Big Tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook-owner Meta were eavesdropping on them. And now, we have evidence of CMG's marketing team promoting this type of service to advertisers. As 404 Media points out, CMG has maintained current or former partnerships with all four of those Big Tech companies.
So, what's going on here?
Mashable reached out to all four Big Tech companies mentioned in 404 Media's report on CMG's Active Listening pitch deck. We heard back from all of them – Meta, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Each company provided a statement denying working with CMG to target advertising in this way.
“Meta does not use your phone's microphone for ads and we've been public about this for years," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement provided to Mashable. "We are reaching out to CMG to get them to clarify that their program is not based on Meta data."
Meta told Mashable that it was looking into whether CMG potentially violated Facebook's terms and conditions. The company said it would take action if necessary. A spokesperson also provided Mashable with a 2016 post that Facebook published about how the company does not use users' phone's microphones for the purpose of advertising.
Amazon, Google, and Microsoft also pushed back against any involvement with CMG's Active Listening.
"Amazon Ads has never worked with CMG on this program and has no plans to do so," an Amazon spokesperson told Mashable.
“All advertisers must comply with all applicable laws and regulations as well as our Google Ads policies, and when we identify ads or advertisers that violate these policies, we will take appropriate action," a Google spokesperson said in a statement provided to Mashable.
“We are investigating and will take any necessary actions in line with our policies," a Microsoft spokesperson said.
While the companies who replied all denied taking part in the advertising program, privacy concerns regarding smart home devices will surely continue amongst consumers.
