Facebook Denies Spying on Its Users through Phone Microphones

It looks like Facebook had to do some explaining not too long ago because of a certain rumor that its app is actually listening in on users on both iOS and Android platforms. The rumor started off when a communications professor from USF reported receiving Facebook ads on topics that were similar to things she previously talked about near her smartphone. The story caught on quick, especially on Facebook, which forced the company to take action and clear up things once and for all:

“Facebook does not use microphone audio to inform advertising or News Feed stories in any way. Businesses are able to serve relevant ads based on people’s interests and other demographic information, but not through audio collection.”

Even though many users have expressed their distrust regarding companies such as Microsoft, Google and Facebook, it’s worth keeping in mind that spying on their users in such an obvious and intrusive way would be very risky for these tech giants, as it could potentially lead to their demise. Stories such as this have become quite popular as of late due to confusing terms of service and app permissions on Android and iOS. The Facebook app does ask for permission to use the device’s microphone, but this feature only activates when the user attempts to identify something like a TV show or a song. If you want to make sure that the Facebook app will not be able to use your mic at all, you can always go ahead and disable it in your phone’s settings.