# Coincidence, or are tracker ads getting way too Big Brotherish? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 26, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coincidence-or-are-tracker-ads-getting-way-too-big-brotherish/816785 "2018-06-26T17:41:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coincidence-or-are-tracker-ads-getting-way-too-big-brotherish/816785/21 "2018-06-27T12:03:31Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > This sounds really, really scary to me too. > > But I’m wondering: could there be another explanation, other than eavesdropping? > Is this scenario possible: while chatting about the guns, one of the passengers opened Cabela’s web site on his phone? > Then Google’s location-based software realized that your phone was physically present next to the one which opened Cabela’s gun shop website? > So their adverstising software used the same logic as when you enter a restaurant and it chooses relevant ads. > > I don’t know if my scenario is feasible–and either way, it still squicks me out. > > You are still being tracked, but at least nobody is listening into your private conversations. > > It’s slightly less Big Brother-ish. > But only slightly. Yeah, this sounds plausible. At least I hope it’s the explanation. Although I refuse to purchase an Alexa or similar device because I’m sure it listens in on conversations all the time. I often think that Orwell got the snooping and complete lack of privacy exactly right, he just got the intention wrong- they don’t want to brutally oppress us, just sell us stuff. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coincidence-or-are-tracker-ads-getting-way-too-big-brotherish/816785/22 "2018-06-27T12:07:14Z")
> [@solost](#): > > I often think that Orwell got the snooping and complete lack of privacy exactly right, he just got the intention wrong- they don’t want to brutally oppress us, just sell us stuff. And they’re comically bad at it. ---
**Author:** ![Textual\_Innuendo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@Textual\_Innuendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Innuendo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coincidence-or-are-tracker-ads-getting-way-too-big-brotherish/816785/23 "2018-06-27T13:20:40Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > And they’re comically bad at it. Except when they’re really good at tying contexts, physical presence, and advertising together, then it’s creepy. Poor advertisers, they just can’t win either way! Well, unless you consider being among the largest and most successful companies in the world with billions in income success. But who thinks that?? Nobody! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coincidence-or-are-tracker-ads-getting-way-too-big-brotherish/816785/24 "2018-06-27T13:54:59Z")
A year ago I bought a new Hyundai sedan. I thought it was interesting that, as soon as the car hit 7500 miles, a message popped up on my console display saying I was due for service and did I want to connect to BlueLink (Hyundai’s version of OnStar) to schedule an appointment? (I did not.) Later that day, on some game on my phone that displays banner ads, I started seeing ads from my local Hyundai dealer saying “You are due for service!” I’m sure it’s all tied together through my email address, but still pretty creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coincidence-or-are-tracker-ads-getting-way-too-big-brotherish/816785/25 "2018-06-27T14:19:50Z")
Any app that has permission to your microphone can and probably is listening to you. That’s what you allow when you allow that permission. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coincidence-or-are-tracker-ads-getting-way-too-big-brotherish/816785/26 "2018-06-27T14:20:07Z")
My sister has an Alexa or whatever in her home. She swears one time she and her husband were talking about buying a new couch. They had not made an inquiry of their home device - just a conversation between 2 people. Their adult son was visiting, and using his laptop with their wireless. All of a sudden he started getting ads for couches. Might just be a coincidence, or might be creepy shit. Makes me happy I have only 1 app on my mobile and have location turned off. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coincidence-or-are-tracker-ads-getting-way-too-big-brotherish/816785/27 "2018-06-27T15:21:09Z")
…dammit! Now I’m getting Cholula hot sauce and Cabela’s ammo ads! ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coincidence-or-are-tracker-ads-getting-way-too-big-brotherish/816785/28 "2018-06-27T16:03:37Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > And they’re comically bad at it. > [@Textual\_Innuendo](#): > > Except when they’re really good at tying contexts, physical presence, and advertising together, then it’s creepy. > > Poor advertisers, they just can’t win either way! > > Well, unless you consider being among the largest and most successful companies in the world with billions in income success. But who thinks that?? Nobody! 😃 Yeah, i wouldn’t say comically bad so much as blatantly obvious. I mean, you think they’d at least build in a day or two delay between the tracking/eavesdropping and ad delivery. But I’m sure they’ve done a lot of studies that show it sells more if you do it immediately. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coincidence-or-are-tracker-ads-getting-way-too-big-brotherish/816785.md?page=1)