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Invasor
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 Posted: Sat, 14th Nov 2015 15:02 Post subject: Cross-device tracking |
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| Quote: | Privacy advocates are warning federal authorities of a new threat that uses inaudible, high-frequency sounds to surreptitiously track a person's online behavior across a range of devices, including phones, TVs, tablets, and computers.
The ultrasonic pitches are embedded into TV commercials or are played when a user encounters an ad displayed in a computer browser. While the sound can't be heard by the human ear, nearby tablets and smartphones can detect it. When they do, browser cookies can now pair a single user to multiple devices and keep track of what TV commercials the person sees, how long the person watches the ads, and whether the person acts on the ads by doing a Web search or buying a product.
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Cross-device tracking can also be performed through the use of ultrasonic inaudible sound beacons. Compared to probabilistic tracking through browser fingerprinting, the use of audio beacons is a more accurate way to track users across devices. The industry leader of cross-device tracking using audio beacons is SilverPush. When a user encounters a SilverPush advertiser on the web, the advertiser drops a cookie on the computer while also playing an ultrasonic audio through the use of the speakers on the computer or device. The inaudible code is recognized and received on the other smart device by the software development kit installed on it. SilverPush also embeds audio beacon signals into TV commercials which are "picked up silently by an app installed on a [device] (unknown to the user)." The audio beacon enables companies like SilverPush to know which ads the user saw, how long the user watched the ad before changing the channel, which kind of smart devices the individual uses, along with other information that adds to the profile of each user that is linked across devices.
The user is unaware of the audio beacon, but if a smart device has an app on it that uses the SilverPush software development kit, the software on the app will be listening for the audio beacon and once the beacon is detected, devices are immediately recognized as being used by the same individual. SilverPush states that the company is not listening in the background to all of the noises occurring in proximity to the device. The only factor that hinders the receipt of an audio beacon by a device is distance and there is no way for the user to opt-out of this form of cross-device tracking. SilverPush’s company policy is to not "divulge the names of the apps the technology is embedded," meaning that users have no knowledge of which apps are using this technology and no way to opt-out of this practice. As of April of 2015, SilverPush’s software is used by 67 apps and the company monitors 18 million smartphones.
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"For example, a company could see that a user searched for sexually transmitted disease (STD) symptoms on her personal computer, looked up directions to a Planned Parenthood on her phone, visits a pharmacy, then returned to her apartment," the letter stated. "While previously the various components of this journey would be scattered among several services, cross-device tracking allows companies to infer that the user received treatment for an STD. The combination of information across devices not only creates serious privacy concerns, but also allows for companies to make incorrect and possibly harmful assumptions about individuals." |
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/11/beware-of-ads-that-use-inaudible-sound-to-link-your-phone-tv-tablet-and-pc/
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| Posted: Sat, 14th Nov 2015 17:27 Post subject: |
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most speakers can't output inaudible sounds 
| Lutzifer wrote: | | and yes, mine is only average |
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Invasor
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WaldoJ
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| Posted: Sat, 14th Nov 2015 19:20 Post subject: |
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More android than ios
| Sin317 wrote: | | I win, you lose. Or Go fuck yourself. |
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Invasor
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Location: On the road
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| Posted: Sat, 14th Nov 2015 20:00 Post subject: |
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They even have a pretty website about it:
http://www.silverpush.co/#!/uab
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Add Beacon: Add our patented inaudible audio beacon to your TV creative
Measure: Millions of users with SilverPush powered SDK are listening to TV ads everyday
Retarget: Reach out to mobile users who have watched your TV ad.
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| Quote: | Our Customers
Google
Samsung
Airtel
Kabaam
Dominos
Candy Crush |
http://silverpush.wikia.com/wiki/Silverpush_Wiki
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| Posted: Sun, 15th Nov 2015 02:40 Post subject: |
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Well I should be safe. I do iOS and Android development, but funny enough I don't own a phone myself after my old one got nicked in 2012. I just couldn't be arsed to get a new one.
I have a tablet that hasn't been turned on since 2013.
And all my laptops have duct tape across the web cams.
Though this would explain why a dude on my Facebook has been creeped out because he did a phone search for a bike, and now all the ads on his PC are about that brand of bike. His phone is logged into google, his PC is not.
It would suck if all your ads ended up being about STD treatment like in that guy in the example. D:
Remember, if a service is free, you are the product.
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Is...is... the hump free?
Gustave the Steel
Last edited by AKofC on Sun, 15th Nov 2015 07:42; edited 2 times in total
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Invasor
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Posts: 7638
Location: On the road
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| Posted: Sun, 15th Nov 2015 03:01 Post subject: |
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| Posted: Sun, 15th Nov 2015 07:56 Post subject: |
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I believe they are doing it. Sometimes I really want to go back to the non smart phone. I want a dumb phone.
I was pissed off today. I walked into a salon just yesterday. I didn't buy anything. I was in there for 5 mins. It has maybe one sister store way across the city. Small, not one that can afford expensive advertising. Today I got their advertising on my Facebook feed. HIGHLY suspicious. I've never googled them on anything. I think they used google + location maps. I had disabled the feature on my phone. When I logged onto it today it was turned back on. I got a new phone a few months ago but never checked it.
Could be from the Facebook app itself and messenger. I will know soon if it happens again.
Greedy people. It really is a scam on the people.
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