Phony Eavesdroppers Return Fully AI-Rmed

You talk about a holiday in Goa to a friend, and the next thing you see is your smartphone bombarding you with adverts of resorts in Goa. You talk about biryani cravings to someone, and suddenly your social media feed is serving you a generous portion of biryani recommendations. Call it delightful oddities, a strange coincidence, secret surveillance or simply an algorithm that knows us better. Welcome to the era of AI and smartphones, where they actively listen to everything you say.

The New I-SPY

Algorithms don’t need to hear you, they are good at predicting. A conversation about buying a particular car, for instance, may seem to trigger a sudden flood of automotive content. It tracks your recent car searches, videos, dealership websites you visited, automotive creators you followed or even how long one lingered on a reel. “Which apps have permission to listen, when can they access it, and what happens to the information once it is collected? These are crucial privacy questions users should ask before handing over their digital data,” says Himanshu Yadav, Cybersecurity Expert, Founder of Hackindtech from Delhi.

According to Yadav, systems recommendations can stitch together a detailed picture from search history, watch time, pauses, rewatches, likes, shares, follows, clicks, browsing activity, approximate location, device information and even interactions with other users. Simply put, the algorithm may not be listening in, but it’s piecing it all together. Yadav quips: “My favourite way of explaining this is: The algorithm doesn’t need to hear your conversation if your digital behaviour has already revealed the answer.”

A Messy Digital Affair

You may never like a reel. But if you stop scrolling and watch it for 18 seconds, pause at a particular point or return to similar content later, you have already said something to the algorithm. “Pauses, searches, replays, likes, scrolling patterns, everything from what you comment on and who you follow, and how you interact with content can become a data point,” explains Nirali Bhatia, a Counselling Psychologist and Psychotherapist, Founder & Director of Nirali Bhatia Cyber Wellness Foundation. She further explains that seeing similar content on two people’s feeds can often be traced to a cluster of behavioural signals rather than anything sinister. “Two people can start receiving similar content more when they engage with similar topics, interact with each other frequently, keep sharing content with each other, and so much more,” she says.

No Strange Coincidence

Nirali cites her experience of regularly sharing wildlife safari reels with a friend. Over time, both began seeing similar content on their feeds. According to Nirali, this is hardly a coincidence. Consistent sharing of the same kind of content have obviously given the algorithm enough breadcrumbs to follow. But before blaming your phone for knowing too much, it may be worth checking what you have already allowed it to know. Microphone, camera, location, contacts, photos, Bluetooth and activity permissions can each offer apps another piece of the puzzle.

Permission Protocol

Many users grant these permissions in a hurry and rarely revisit them. Yadav says, “Do not automatically click “Allow” whenever an app asks for permission. Instead, ask: Does this app genuinely need this permission to do what I installed it for?” A video-calling app asking for camera and microphone access makes sense. “But if a flashlight or calculator is asking for your contacts, microphone or location, that should make you pause,” he says.

Protect Your Data

There are a few practical ways to take back control of your digital footprint. Regularly review app permissions and disable those that are not essential. Makarand Deshpande, a tech junkie says, “Do a digital clean-up regularly. If you’ve saved a lot of reels and posts, just unsave the ones you no longer require.”

For instance, apps such as Ola or Uber may need location access while you’re booking or taking a ride, but there is little reason for it to access your photo gallery or track location.

Digital Decluttering

Review ad preferences and be mindful of the posts, comments, likes and shares you engage with. These interactions leave direct digital footprints of your behaviour and interests. In a world where every click can become a clue, a little digital decluttering can go a long way in keeping your data.

ROGUE TR-APPS

· Keep a close eye on apps that ask for microphone and camera access, location, contacts, call information, photos, files, storage details

· Some even ask for Bluetooth or nearby-device access, accessibility, notification permissions, and apps that have extensive background activity.

· These permissions can collectively reveal far more about you than you may realise.

SAFETY TIPS

· Audit permissions regularly. Remove permissions that an app doesnt genuinely need.

· Prefer “While Using the App” instead of permanent location access where possible.

· Use approximate location when precise location isn’t necessary.

· Turn off unnecessary cross-app tracking and advertising personalisation.

· Delete apps you no longer use.

· Keep your OS and Apps updated.

· Be careful with apps installed from unknown sources.

· Pay attention to unexpected microphone/camera indicators.·

· Use privacy-focused browsers and services where practical.

· Consider a privacy-focused OS such as GrapheneOS on supported Pixel devices.