Major US marketing company Cox Media Group (CMG) has admitted that it monitored conversations for the purpose of targeted advertising.
Working with big-name brands like CBS, Fox News and ESPN, CMG has reportedly been promoting its ability to listen to consumers through microphones on smartphones, TVs and smart speakers.
The agency has coined this capability “active listening” and has been actively pitching this service to advertisers, showcasing the feature on its website, it reports. 404.
Why we care Amid the global push to improve privacy, including measures such as phasing out third-party cookies, these statements have caught the PPC community off guard. Many are now speculating about the possible repercussions, signaling a warning to the wider industry.
SEO consultant Gelnn Gabe responded to the report on Xwriting, “This is not going to end well.”
This won’t end well -> Cox Media Group claims it can listen to consumer conversations through microphones on smartphones, smart TVs and other devices and use them to target ads.
“Customers can “claim” a territory where they want to use CMG services, which are available… pic.twitter.com/sTcF2WhI39
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) December 15, 2023
Steve Huskey, Google Ads expert, added: “Textbook Definition of Invasion of Privacy.”
Textbook definition of invasion of privacy
— Steve Huskey (@TalkNerdie2Me) December 15, 2023
How it works. CMG allegedly claims that its active listening technology can detect potential customers in real time through everyday conversations. It’s not known if this feature is on current devices, but CMG is touting it as a futuristic marketing tool that’s “available today.”
Presentation of the product. A CMG representative was reportedly spotted on LinkedIn promoting this service, encouraging interested parties to get in touch so they could provide more pricing information.
What CMG says. The company did not respond to Search Engine Land’s request for comment. However, a promotional post on their website, which appears to have been removed now, says:
“What would it mean for your business if you could target potential customers who actively discuss their need for your services in their day-to-day conversations?” “No, it’s not an episode of Black Mirror, it’s voice data and CMG has the ability to use it to your business advantage.”
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deep dive Read “A PPC Guide to Privacy-Focused Audience Targeting” to learn more about how to run ads while adhering to user privacy best practices.
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