Google is always listening: A Test You Can Do!

MyOhMy

Member (SA)
Jul 26, 2015
2,509
7
0
71
Sleaford, Lincolnshire, UK.
Thanks, this is the sort of thing everyone needs to see and be aware of despite there being no surprises here for those of us who are *awake*.

I haven't used google for years and, in fact, have the site with other popular sites such as facebook, youtube etc., etc., permanently blocked. I admit that spy sites such as google may provide the best search results but at what price to your freedoms, liberties and to the future of us all? Not one person in the world needs google, find something else to spend your time on - there's always an alternative.
 

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
Feb 16, 2010
14,130
102
48
55
Naples, Italy
MyOhMy said:
Thanks, this is the sort of thing everyone needs to see and be aware of despite there being no surprises here for those of us who are *awake*.

I haven't used google for years and, in fact, have the site with other popular sites such as facebook, youtube etc., etc., permanently blocked. I admit that spy sites such as google may provide the best search results but at what price to your freedoms, liberties and to the future of us all? Not one person in the world needs google, find something else to spend your time on - there's always an alternative.
I stopped using Google search engine some time ago. I didn't like the fact that I was getting "tailored content" instead of the answers I was looking for.

https://youtu.be/SrsCEbi5N7Y
 

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
Feb 16, 2010
14,130
102
48
55
Naples, Italy
MyOhMy said:
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Nailed it.
So, I did the same test and the guy in the first video. But got different results.... The reason being that here in Europe, they don;t let Google just run free like they do in the States.

First, most of the sites listed on Fark.com (and used in the top video) worn't even open in Europe. They are blocked by the European Union BECAUSE they are basically spyware.

EXAMPLE

Screenshot 2018-12-28 10.12.02.png

Second, I use AdBlock Plus which virtually eliminates ALL online ad's, including those on YouTube.

Just a mere 8 years ago when Google announced they were developing the Android system to go head to head with the iPhone my brother and I predicted that they would become "The Empire", joking that they would be "building the Death Star next".

Not far off really....
 

Superduper

Member (SA)
OMG, that's absolutely crazy if they are doing that, I'd think that would be illegal. I think I'll need to do this test myself. On my iMac, I checked privacy settings for microphone and apps that have requested access to microphone lists.... no apps. Or maybe the platform makes a difference?

----- update ------

Well, I tried the same thing what the guy in the video did, and talked about wanting to buy drones for a minute or so. Then went to fark, which I really didn't want to do simply because the name of the site itself is probably an ad/spy site itself. Anyhow, after searching that, and Fox News which he also visited, and other sites, I saw no ads of any kind for drones. This on an iMac. Might be different on windows, or android or chromebooks, can't say.
 

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
Feb 16, 2010
14,130
102
48
55
Naples, Italy
Superduper said:
OMG, that's absolutely crazy if they are doing that, I'd think that would be illegal. I think I'll need to do this test myself. On my iMac, I checked privacy settings for microphone and apps that have requested access to microphone lists.... no apps. Or maybe the platform makes a difference?

----- update ------

Well, I tried the same thing what the guy in the video did, and talked about wanting to buy drones for a minute or so. Then went to fark, which I really didn't want to do simply because the name of the site itself is probably an ad/spy site itself. Anyhow, after searching that, and Fox News which he also visited, and other sites, I saw no ads of any kind for drones. This on an iMac. Might be different on windows, or android or chromebooks, can't say.
That's interesting and it could be that iMac is more secure? Or maybe it's Google Chrome?

I was wondering if it's legal, but who reads the licensing agreement Google forces on everyone?

I watched a video on a news story about Amazon's Alexa secretly recording a family's private conversations and then randomly emailing the recordings to someone in their contacts list. That person called them to let them know they were getting emails with audio attachments of them talking.

Video here: https://youtu.be/pnD6vFaWp2k?t=183

I'll tell ya, I'm not surprised with any of this stuff, what I am most surprised with is how complacent everyone around me is. I would think people would be / should be out raged, but instead they just shrug their shoulders and say "whatcha gonna do?". It absolutely blows my mind that no one is even trying to step back from this stuff or take ANY steps to protect themselves from against it.

STARTING WITH TURNING THE MICS OFF ON YOUR COMPUTERS!
 

caution

Member (SA)
Mar 25, 2014
2,506
341
83
Boomboxery
Superduper said:
Then went to fark, which I really didn't want to do simply because the name of the site itself is probably an ad/spy site itself.
Fark is good people, I know a lot of users there. They've been around since 1999, it's a news aggregator Norm.
 

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
Feb 16, 2010
14,130
102
48
55
Naples, Italy
Over the last few months, my wife and I have both said the same thing related to the same subject and that is "Man, that's a strange coincidence". Never really thinking much about it or trying to put two and two together. But her and I have spoken about how really really odd it has been that this or that has happened. Nothing on any real subject or life altering, but very strange in deed and worth mention to each other.

In the last few days, we have had increasing "Coincidences" that snapped my mind back to this thread and this story.

For instance, yesterday, my wife came downstairs and I asked "what are you cooking that smells so good?". She said, "I'm making pound cake from scratch.". 10 minutes later, I click on YouTube and the top suggestion is Van Halen's "Pound Cake" music video. Probably nothing, right?

A few days ago, her and I are talking about when we visit Germany in August for the 10th anniversary Dessau boombox meet, that we should look into renting a car. Later that night I received email spam for discounted rental cars, you guessed it, at the Schoenfeld Airport car rental, coincidentally, the airport we are flying into.

Next, recently I was on the phone to my brother, talking about how I am now selling t-shirts off my YouTube channel and that I have recently sold a few, using TeeSpring. In my inbox, spam from Spreadshirt stating that "They have better deals that TeeSpring"!

But it doesn't stop there....

We just returned from South Korea, where I visited the Indian Motorcycle and Harley Davidson Motorcycle dealerships. We will soon be flying to Alaska to with a layover in Seattle. Her and I were talking about possibly visiting the dealerships in the Seattle area, but we would need to rent a car.....You guest it, email spam with CAR RENTAL DISCOUNTS IN SEATTLE followed by spam from Harley Davidson offering test rides in.....SEATTLE!

I didn't even think about what this stuff meant. Totally dismissed it until this morning. I woke up and mentioned it to her about how weird it is and she told me she had spam emails about a specific kitchen appliance her daughter was interested in, after speaking with her daughter on the phone about it.

I just don't know what to say about this. Am I crazy? Is this really just me searching for details between the cracks that aren't there. Or are these FARKERS listing to our private conversations and marketing us?

I manually turned off the microphones on my wife's laptop (her office), a laptop we use connected to the living room TV and my laptop in the boom room. But damn near every electronic device in the house has some way to record. Certainly our phones, which we have with us all the time.

What do you guys think? Ever had anything similar happen to you?
 

JVC Floyd

Inactive (Delete)
May 6, 2009
7,322
419
83
54
Maryland USA.
The sad part is the younger generation has been condition to ignore **** like HK drones hovering about . when the **** hits the fan these use less most moherfukers will clog the streets running like puzzies.

Most's days I wish they would blow my goddamn brains out with a drone , hey it's my big chance to get away from it all.
 

Ghettoboom767

Member (SA)
May 6, 2009
4,307
55
48
USA
Yes Chris I see these kind of things to,I just don’t think our I-Phones and stuff are safe. I’m changing my search engine immediately to this Fark thing! Man I hate cell phones,I actually wish we could go back to pay phones and junk the cell phones! Remember the 80’s?! Yes it was better!!😮😊😎