Stop facebook on your iPhone from listening to your conversations

[masraum]

I have seen this come up many times here on the board, and didn't want it to get lost in another thread, so ....

These settings are iPhone specific. I suspect Android is likely to have something very similar.
I think this is the setting that you guys may want to update.
Settings - Privacy


Microphone


Facebook (and anything else in the list that you think is a good idea)


__________________________________________________ _______________
Then back out to the first layer of Settings, scroll way down to Facebook


Microphone



I generally go through every setting on my phone/PC because you never know what you'll find. And in some cases, the settings are in the phone OS and in other cases, the settings are in the app.

[masraum]

possible fix for Android

https://www.caffeinatedinc.net/how-to-stop-facebook-from-listening-to-you-through-your-phone/

For Android phone users: Go to Settings >> Application >> Application manager >> find Facebook >> Permissions >> Turn off mic.
On Android Marshmallow: Go to Settings >> swipe to Personal >> Privacy and Safety >> App Permissions >> Microphone >> find Facebook, then slide it to the off position.

[GH85Carrera]

And after any major OS upgrade, it often resets those settings.

I don't have Facebook on my phone. I do use facebook on my computer to keep up with actual friends and relatives. If anyone gets political, they are dropped from my feed.

[911 Rod]

You serious?
How do they get away with this?

[cantdrv55]

Thank you Steve

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

And after any major OS upgrade, it often resets those settings.

I don't have Facebook on my phone. I do use facebook on my computer to keep up with actual friends and relatives. If anyone gets political, they are dropped from my feed.

potentially an issue on PCs (Windows or Mac) too.

https://www.windowsdigitals.com/how-to-turn-on-camera-or-microphone-on-facebook-messenger-windows-10/

[masraum]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

You serious?
How do they get away with this?

you (everyone) clicks "OK" when installing the app the first time. The apps give you a list of all of the stuff that they want access to. Most folks either don't read it or don't think about it.

[911 Rod]

Originally Posted by masraum

you (everyone) clicks "OK" when installing the app the first time. The apps give you a list of all of the stuff that they want access to. Most folks either don't read it or don't think about it.

I checked my phone. Microphone in FB isn't even there.

[Steve Carlton]

This is interesting. He has mentioned he'll have a conversation with somebody, and a day or two later receive targeted messages regarding the same thing discussed, and it's beyond coincidence. It's creepy.

Thanks for the heads-up, masraum. Just leave on the "Steve Curious" app on, okay?

On my phone I found My Doctor Online, Sonos, and Zoom was turned off. I've used Zoom once, so I turned everything off on my iPhone 12. I quit Facebook and never had it on my phone. I'm wondering if Google was turned on in my brother's phone. Everything is off now.

[cabmandone]

I turn off location until I need to use Maps or Waze too.

[Steve Carlton]

That explains it.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by masraum

potentially an issue on PCs (Windows or Mac) too.

https://www.windowsdigitals.com/how-to-turn-on-camera-or-microphone-on-facebook-messenger-windows-10/

My computer is a tower - desktop very non portable that I built from parts. There is no microphone or camera on it. So way possible to hack what is not there. I received a scam email saying they had installed ransom ware on my system and I had just hours to send them money or they will post video of me masturbating while watching porn. As I have never been to a porn site, and I have no camera, I was 100% certain it was all BS. My computer remains in my control.

I really wanted to reply that I am hoping they will post it to boost my ratings in the porn industry, and get me more views and increase my income. I decided any reply at all was a bad idea.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by cabmando

I turn off location until I need to use Maps or Waze too.

Yes, I also go through and customize all of the location settings. Most of the apps have 3 settings (some have only 2) On, Off or "On while app is active." For Navigation or mapping apps, I'll usually set them to "on while active" so I don't have to change a setting every time. I usually don't need or want most apps to know where I am, but some times, (like Waze when I'm using it) sure.

[hbueno]

On a phone or tablet, don't use an app when a web browser will do the job. Apps are designed to gather data on you. Only enable location for apps when they are in use (that's an Android setting, iOS likely has a similar option).

Never leave your Facebook or Google or whatever account logged on by default on apps or browsers.

If you use Firefox, install uBlock Origin to block ads and trackers.

[pmax]

You’re assuming those settings do something.

Uninstall the app.

That should work even better.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by pmax

You’re assuming those settings do something.

Uninstall the app.

That should work even better.

I'm afraid that being in a car on the road may result in me being in a car accident. I'd better sell my car!

Everything (including and especially security) is a compromise. You've got to figure out your balance point. If you're so afraid of big brother and/or big data, then yep, going off grid is the way to fix it. Cancel your Internet (pretty much everything you do is tracked one way or the other), don't use discount cards if you've got 'em. Pay cash instead of credit or debit. etc....

[stomachmonkey]

If you are on an iPhone and an app has camera / mic / location enabled it's because the user authorized it in the first place.

This is part of the benefit of the walled garden everyone likes to complain about with Apple.

When submitting to the app store you must declare you are using those features and provide a valid use case.

As a developer you can't try to "sneak it past them" by not declaring it but doing it anyway, that simply doesn't work for a number of reasons mostly because, they review each and every submission and the checks for that stuff are all automated.

No app can enable those features on their own.

It requires approval from Apple and then explicit access to the hardware must be requested which needs to be acknowledged by the user.

[john70t]

I resigned to using a flip phone (with a telephone book under the car seat lol) out of convenience. Stubborn bastard.
There are non-iOS and non-Android OS out there still.
Delta service requires those to make their website work or they give you a 3hr estimated wait time to speak to a live agent. Disfunction.

It's too bad Blackberry disappeared. I'm still looking for a quality linux smartphone from a major provider.

Map guidance is my achilles heel.
Google now owns 99% of the non-Apple guidance market cough.
RE sites, MapQuest, even Microsoft Bing defers to them.
Add in search, email, OS, ReCaptcha and that becomes most of the internet....

Full maps should be downloadable. GPS is free.
Where does it say constant tracking and monitoring is a technological requirement?

[gordner]

In Android it's simple. Hold your thumb on the icon until the option list appears. When it does, hit uninstall app.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

You serious?
How do they get away with this?

It's in the fine print when we agree to use their apps for "free".