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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Freaked out!!?!

120 replies

prozacfree · 03/09/2020 20:24

oh my goodness, this might be a simple explanation and I apologise in advance but I need someone to clarify it with me.

So I sent an email at work today to a company who is quite obscure and nothing I would ever google whilst at home. My colleague also had a jacket delivered to work and showed me. It was quite unusual but probably from a high street store.

I've come home from work and have just now logged on to facebook and the company that I emailed has come up as an advert and the exact jacket has come up as an ad further down. Is google spying on me? Hmm

OP posts:
missmouse101 · 03/09/2020 20:25

Yes, it definitely happens.

Original poster
prozacfree · 03/09/2020 20:27

oh my goodness I am so shocked.

OP posts:
SamsMumsCateracts · 03/09/2020 20:30

Yep. DH and I have tested it multiple times, talking about obscure things. We don't have an Alexa or anything like that, just our phones and tablets. Every time we've had adverts for what we've been talking about.

The latest thing is that whatever we browse online for appears as adverts on other devices and pcs in the house. We found that out through me suddenly getting loads and loads of adverts for something very specific, then finding out that DH had bought it for me for my birthday just before the ads started appearing. He thought that they were only appearing on his iPad, but I had them on my iPad, phone, laptop and desktop pc.

I hate it. Nothing seems to be private anymore.

Original poster
prozacfree · 03/09/2020 20:31

So i guess it's something to do with linking the wifi? My work email and internet is separate from my home one, but my mobile phone was on my desk and I sometimes use the wifi at work on it. Totally bizarre.

OP posts:
WindsorBlues · 03/09/2020 20:33

If you're logged into your Gmail on your work desktop and your phone it links the search history of the two devices together.

Original poster
prozacfree · 03/09/2020 20:34

Jesus Sams! I had no idea. Might have to shop for the kids xmas presents traditionally this year and go into town and pay cash Shock

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DalzielandPaxo · 03/09/2020 20:35
Hmm
Original poster
prozacfree · 03/09/2020 20:36

@WindsorBlues

If you're logged into your Gmail on your work desktop and your phone it links the search history of the two devices together.
But my work G ail is separate and I never searched for the jacket but my colleague did? Maybe my gmail address is linked in some way as I have paid for certain things on my work desktop in the past.
OP posts:
PleasantVille · 03/09/2020 20:38

Whenever these threads come up there always seem to be posters who don't accept that devices listen and suggest adverts but if definitely does happen, I've had more than one instance and I think it's a pretty well known thing

I've had a quite convoluted one happen to me recently and I still haven't worked how it came about.

CitizenFame · 03/09/2020 20:39

YABVU and completely naïve. Unless you are willing to stop using the internet altogether, you need to accept that this happens.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 03/09/2020 20:41

I always make sure permissions for microphone are off, but I doubt it helps.
Yes they listen. I hope mine have fun with that shit they hear😁

Oysterbabe · 03/09/2020 20:41

My devices listen in to what I'm talking about and show me ads. It doesn't bother me at all.

Original poster
prozacfree · 03/09/2020 20:41

@CitizenFame

YABVU and completely naïve. Unless you are willing to stop using the internet altogether, you need to accept that this happens.
Gosh yes I hold my hands up. I had no idea that a work desktop would link to my home one.
OP posts:
CitizenFame · 03/09/2020 20:42

@PleasantVille

Whenever these threads come up there always seem to be posters who don't accept that devices listen and suggest adverts but if definitely does happen, I've had more than one instance and I think it's a pretty well known thing

I've had a quite convoluted one happen to me recently and I still haven't worked how it came about.

Exactly.

"Oh, but I didn't activate the listening mode" … Okay Hmm But in order to activate the "listening mode" the device has to listen to you in order to know when to "turn itself on"...

gingertom11 · 03/09/2020 20:44

Strangest thing that happened to me was MIL bought DS a little toy tractor and trailer at a garage sale when we were out for a walk in her village. Never seen one the same as it before, hadn't looked it up online or anything. Literally just saw it on someone's driveway and bought it. Got back to MILs house, went on my phone and was scrolling insta stories, an ad came up for the exact tractor and trailer we'd just bought off someone's driveway down the road. ShockConfused really freaked me out!

mummatobeat33 · 03/09/2020 20:45

A lot of the time the devices aren't listening but your internet router will be able to see the history of all devices that use the IP addresses provided by it which then shows the targeted ads to all users.

Clearing your cache and cookies can help clear these targeted ada.

Original poster
prozacfree · 03/09/2020 20:45

Now that IS freaky gingertom11 Shock

OP posts:
Original poster
prozacfree · 03/09/2020 20:46

@mummatobeat33

A lot of the time the devices aren't listening but your internet router will be able to see the history of all devices that use the IP addresses provided by it which then shows the targeted ads to all users.

Clearing your cache and cookies can help clear these targeted ada.

That's great advice. Thank you Smile

OP posts:
Sairafina · 03/09/2020 20:48

I'd recommend using a browser which doesn't track you and blocks all ads by default

itsgettingweird · 03/09/2020 20:53

Ds and I were chatting one day in our lounge.

It was about how my iPad mini was so slow.

He mentioned looking on our phone contract because lots of phone companies do pay monthly deals and you get to keep iPad. He also said usually you get 4G deal. He was studying for gcse and so said it would be helpful to take to swim meets to access bitesize and stuff to study.

I said with it but only at certain cost because I wouldn't want to pay too much over value if iPad.

Whether pure co incidence 5 minutes later phone company rang me and offered a deal with just that!

Ds and I still to this day can't work out if they listened or if we should have done the lie there that weekend!

itsgettingweird · 03/09/2020 20:54

Lottery - not lie there!

ktp100 · 03/09/2020 20:57

This is why I keep our Alexa's off unless playing music. That bitch listens to EVERYTHING!!

Aposterhasnoname · 03/09/2020 21:05

We got an Alexa, and decided to test the theory that Alexa listens in and somehow directs adverts to you.

We started to discuss buying an item that we would never google, or indeed have any need for. Specifically a pram. We’re too old for babies, and DD was adamant that she didn’t want any, and at 35, and single, that looked unlikely to change.

So we started talking about prams, what colour pram, what brand is good, how much are they anyway, that sort of stuff.

Two weeks later DD announced her pregnancy. Fair play to Amazon, that’s a pretty impressive sales tactic.

lotusbiscuit · 03/09/2020 21:06

If you talk about people, the microphone in your phone hears and suggests them on Twitter. Confused

Original poster
prozacfree · 03/09/2020 21:07

@lotusbiscuit

If you talk about people, the microphone in your phone hears and suggests them on Twitter. Confused

ShockConfusedShockConfusedShock

OP posts:
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