Are My Laptop and Cellphone Spying on Me?
Have you ever wondered if your laptop is spying on you? Perhaps you feel like you’ve had a conversation with someone and then seen ads for something that relates to your conversation on your screen.
With that in mind, many people assume that their tech devices are spying on them, which opens up a host of concerns about data security and online privacy.
Find out more about if you need to be concerned and what you can do to protect yourself.
Camera and Microphone Concerns
Your laptop and your smartphone have cameras and microphones built into them, which provide lots of convenience but are also a source of privacy concerns for plenty of people. While it’s not as prevalent as you may believe, there have been verified cases in which hackers have taken control of these devices, especially cameras.
Hackers can use malware or other types of malicious software to remotely activate your microphone or camera. While many people place a small piece of tape over their laptop cameras to make this ineffective, covering your microphone can be much trickier.
It’s a good idea to make sure your computer software is always up to date to prevent hackers from getting access.
When it comes to your smartphone, you obviously don’t want to disable your mic, and you likely don’t want to turn your camera off. The best option is to limit the apps that can have access to these devices in your settings. Make sure that you’re only allowing reputable apps to access these sensitive features on your phone.
Data Collection and App Permissions
Every time you download an app on your smartphone, it asks you for certain permissions the first time that you open it. As we’ve already established, many apps will ask for permission to access your microphone or camera.
If it’s not necessary to get the most out of the app, just don’t give it permission to use those features. Doing so essentially opens a door that does not need to be opened.
It's also a good idea to deny permission for any apps that ask for permission to gather your data. Many apps collect your data, even when the app is not in use. This means that they’re constantly working in the background to see which apps you’re using, which ads you’re clicking, and more.
While there isn’t a link between your phone listening to your voice, the fact remains that allowing apps to track your data does mean that you’re allowing your phone to monitor what you’re doing.
Voice Assistant and Always-On Listening
Does my cellphone listen to me? If you have always-on listening activated on your phone, which is common for people who rely heavily on their voice assistant, the answer is yes.
After all, when you utilize this feature, you’re quite literally telling your phone to always listen to you. While these commands rely on commands like, “Hey, Siri,” or, “Okay, Google,” when you have your device set to always listen to you, you’re essentially leaving your cyber-door open.
This means that people who use these devices have to make a choice. The first choice is to leave always-on listening activated which increases convenience but lessens security.
The other choice is to limit the amount of time that this feature is on, but that means that it may be harder to use your voice assistant. Ultimately, you’ll need to weigh the pros and cons and make the decision that’s best for you.
Social Media Listening Allegations
Let’s address the allegations that your social media platforms are listening to you. Many people point to conversations that they’ve had about a topic or a brand only to pull up their social media platforms and see advertisements and suggested posts that relate to the topic.
Of course, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter say that they have no access to private conversations, and that may very well be the case.
Ultimately, the algorithms that determine which advertisements you see and what suggested posts appear on your timeline are very complex. Companies spend millions of dollars each year to determine which ads appear in certain areas, and can even use your cookies and other online data to determine which ads you see.
Instead of assuming that your phone or laptop is listening to your conversation, consider the possibility that you have searched for information about the topic or product.
Tracking Cookies and Online Activities
Even if you’re not well-versed in the world of data security, you probably know what cookies are. Essentially, cookies are online crumbs that you leave at every website you visit.
Most websites that you visit that use cookies notify you when you visit their site, but there are undoubtedly some websites out there that secretly rely on cookies to “improve your browsing experience.”
With this in mind, it’s possible for sites that collect your cookies and your browsing data to then sell that data to other websites and companies that use it for targeted advertising.
Cookies and online history are primarily responsible for the idea that your laptop is spying on you and your cellphone is listening to you. When you consistently visit websites that focus on the same topics, it’s natural for your cookies to point to a certain interest.
Stay Safe Online and At Home
Ultimately, you can safeguard yourself from hackers and people who want to get access to your online data. By being cautious about what permissions you give apps access to and being vigilant about software updates you can stay safe in our digital world.