# Does Google Eavesdrop Through Android Phones? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 27, 2019, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908 "2019-09-27T11:40:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/41 "2019-10-01T15:47:20Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I’ve had odd experiences like this. One anecdotal example: > > One of my coworkers was streaming music from his phone through the Bluetooth speaker we have. He was streaming 1980s pop music that day, and the song, “Video Killed the Radio Star” came on, and I mentioned that I hadn’t heard that song in years. > > After work, at home, I visited YouTube, and there was the video for that song, front and center in my recommendations. It was particularly strange because I almost exclusively watch videos from modern metal bands, so “Video Killed the Radio Star” couldn’t have been even closely considered a “related” video. > > This has since happened with other songs, from other artists I would not normally seek out on YouTube, but happened to be streamed by one of my coworkers. The “Music Now Playing, Pixel Ambient Services” feature on my phone does listen to music in the environment. It has a history list of songs it has heard, not songs I’ve played on the phone, but ones that have been playing where the phone can hear them. It also says > [@](#): > > Now Playing works offline and never sends songs or conversations to Google. I’ve not had any experience like you, where songs I heard in the car or something, then get suggested on Youtube. My recent story: A coworker mentioned to me she needed to get her house painted. A few minutes later I saw an ad on Facebook for paint. We are not Facebook friends, and I do not have the Facebook app installed on my phone. At the moment, I’ve never seen any actual evidence that the sort of eavesdropping suggested here is occurring. Just lots of coincidences. At some point some evidence may (will?) come out that despite all of the denials, it has actually been happening. It isn’t only phones and digital assistants that may be listening, but also TVs, thermostats, cars, refrigerators, etc. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/42 "2019-10-01T15:48:47Z")
But I repeat myself. > [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Two problems: > > 1. We don’t know your entire internet history to be able to make the same connections that Google is making. > 2. As far as I know, there is no real evidence of Google listening to conversations, saving the data, and using that data to push you related items. > > So eventually, the topic devolves into a bunch people giving similar anecdotes with no real cites. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/43 "2019-10-01T15:51:55Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > This is _possible_, but it’s really unlikely for a few reasons. > > For one, the number of people required to build and run such a system would be pretty large. Conspiracies happen, but the successful ones are often pretty short-lived and involve just a handful of people. I’m going to say that at least one of the dozens or hundreds of engineers required to build a system that did this and funnel all the voice data around would have some misgivings about such a thing and go public. Or one of the thousands of security researchers that might stumble upon such evidence. > > The PR hit Google would take would be _disastrous_. I’m not saying that companies always act in their long-term self-interest, but this would be such a horrendous misstep that it kind of strains credibility that they would do this. > > And, as pointed out here: they don’t need to do it. You actually can’t learn anything that interesting about people by recording their phone conversations that you can’t infer from the piles and piles of data that we provide in other contexts. > > Again: there are _really_ easy ways to test this theory. Talk about something around your phone but don’t search for it (and make sure your friends don’t search for it) and see if ads show up. They won’t. One more thing, if I’m out & not actively using my phone it’s in my (rear) pocket. Conversations would be muffled to non-existent when I’m sitting on your sofa… …& I haven’t seen any ads for Bean-o. :o ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/44 "2019-10-01T16:22:45Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I have suspected for a while that I am getting targeted ads purely from things I have mentioned verbally near my phone, without actually searching or otherwise interacting. I really need to do some proper controlled experiments, by choosing a subject completely at random (maybe by opening a hard copy encyclopedia, or throwing a dart at a world map?) and then having conversations about that thing. That’s what we described in posts #31 and #33 above. No results. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/45 "2019-10-01T16:28:02Z")
I think what people are probably missing is that they are likely logged into Google wherever they access the Internet. So your phone knows what your browser has been searching for and vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/46 "2019-10-01T19:33:23Z")
The thing that keeps happening to me–which thoroughly creeps me out–is Google quickly suggests something I was just talking about when I DO go to Google that topic. I’m somewhat savvy about privacy settings, general disallow cookies when I can, have targeted advertising turned off, do not allow Google voice activation or suggested news, and have location history disabled–but I’m well aware there’s data to mine that I can’t control or don’t know how to disable. I have disabled Adsense and every other targeted advertising through everything I know to, so I don’t often see targeted ads on my phone (and Adblock enures I never see _any_ ads online). That all as a preface: Often I will be discussing a topic with my GF or ask something outloud–“what time does Arby’s close?”–and I grab my phone, open the google app, type in A-R- aaaand Arby’s pops up. Of all the things on the planet that start with A-R, jumping immediately to the correct suggestion seems like a far-fetched coincidence. What’s even CREEPIER is this happens when I’m alone, when I haven’t said anything out loud. In those cases, it really starts to feel like Google is reading my mind. I have no idea how search suggestions are prioritized–obviously there’s some algorithm that pushes likely suggestions to the top based on the first few letters you type. But how correct it is so often sure FEELS like it’s eavesdropping. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/47 "2019-10-01T20:03:02Z")
I just typed “ar” in google, and arby’s was the first suggestion. Different browsers - I’m reading this in firefox, and I went to do the search in Chrome. Looking at different suggestions for ar and another letter - I suspect that Arby’s is just flat out the most common word to be searched for all of those words that can start with ar- If it had been something obscure, I might be more prone to believe, but a major food chain vs. arabian or arsenal? I’d have bet on Arby’s no matter what you had just done. ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/48 "2019-10-02T09:12:42Z")
This is interesting. I typed “ar” into the search bar and Arby’s didn’t come up at all. The first suggestion was “argon vs air drysuit,” which is a phrase I searched months ago (related to scuba diving); other suggestions included argos, Ariana Grande, Arsenal F.C. (soccer club), army, Arclight Cinemas Hollywood, area 51 raid, and arles (whatever that is). I have never eaten at an Arby’s, and I’m mostly vegetarian, for whatever that’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/49 "2019-10-02T10:02:24Z")
No Arby’s for me, either ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vegetable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Space\_Vegetable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vegetable)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/50 "2019-10-02T12:01:05Z")
The simplest explanation is of course that you’re previously searched for Arby’s, and that’s why it’s showing up again. Google remembers, even if you’ve forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/51 "2019-10-02T13:56:13Z")
> [@Dr.Colossus](#): > > Often I will be discussing a topic with my GF or ask something outloud–“what time does Arby’s close?”–and I grab my phone,\*\* open the google app\*\*, type in A-R- aaaand Arby’s pops up. > > Of all the things on the planet that start with A-R, jumping immediately to the correct suggestion seems like a far-fetched coincidence. > > What’s even CREEPIER is this happens when I’m alone, when I haven’t said anything out loud. In those cases, it really starts to feel like Google is reading my mind. > [@Space\_Vegetable](#): > > The simplest explanation is of course that you’re previously searched for Arby’s, and that’s why it’s showing up again. Google remembers, even if you’ve forgotten. You typed your own answer. If you don’t want that to happen, download & open a (non-chrome) browser in private browsing mode, pull up google’s website, while **not** signed in, & type your query. It’s a few more steps & doesn’t retain your search history, which some people find to be a benefit but that will reduce the creepiness factor. Is it worth it? You decide. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/52 "2019-10-02T14:09:29Z")
> [@Space\_Vegetable](#): > > The simplest explanation is of course that you’re previously searched for Arby’s, and that’s why it’s showing up again. Google remembers, even if you’ve forgotten. Also, I think there are ways in which ad firms can pay for services which make their clients’ names more likely to appear in predictive search results for certain people, base on past searches. If you’ve searched for the nearest Wendy’s at all in the past, for example, you’re more likely to see Arby’s when you start typing “Ar–” than someone who never searches for anything fast-food related ever. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/53 "2019-10-02T14:37:06Z")
I think I have shared this here before, but a while back I was on a trip to a conference, and car pooling… A few of the other passengers began discussing Cabela’s, and ammunition (avid shooty-people)… And sure enough, next time I pulled out my phone, all of the ads in my browser were Cabela’s ads and ammunition reloading supplies. And I am definitely not the type to have ever searched for anything that should trigger that through ad personalization! ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908/54 "2019-10-02T14:59:31Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > That’s what we described in posts #31 and #33 above. No results. I’d missed those. Of course, all this means is that the Google listenbots are smart enough to know when you are trying to game the system 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-google-eavesdrop-through-android-phones/840908.md?page=2)