How does Google track Me even When I'm not using it?

a reply to: SeriouslyDeep

Are computers being built today with hidden chips that only allow you to think that you've disabled, removed, or erased everything that could connect you to the internet without actually doing it? It wouldn't surprise me.

If we can get broadband services with our phones, who's to say that every computer isn't installed with similar technology without us knowing about it. Maybe cell phone towers and satellites are picking up more than we know.

If you viset google, they put a tracker in your computer untill you switch off the browser. You can get free software on firefox to block it. And free vpn! Free.

a reply to: Deetermined



Research the ZN414 Ferranti integrated circuit.

This was released to the public in the 1970's and required an additional resistor and a small coil / capacitor. That was it. A fully functioning radio receiver. No amplifier needed. You could listen to audio output with just a simple crystal ear-piece placed between the power rail resistor and the IC.

This IC was a public offering. It was based on design of other technologies of the time.

The silicon circuit had - has an extremely small silicon footprint. It was designed to be "hidden in plain sight" on larger integrated circuits. The public ZN414 was only able to receive / decode AM signals on the medium / long waves.

The public ZN414 offering was sold as a three lead small footprint transistor style package. The internal silicon circuit is very small.

The basics behind the ZN414 was designed so that 'someone somewhere' would be able to remotely disable any integrated circuit it was built into.

This was not a spy device as such, but allowed equipment to be remotely disabled. Much of what was developed and how and where it was being used was classified, and probably still is.

The use of the technology behind the ZN414 was and is extensive.

The point to note is that was being used in the 1970's and before. Imagine what is available now?

Enough said about this for now.

GP

a reply to: Deetermined

I'll never forget the thread here on ATS of someone proving that the bluetooth in their car was listening to them while they were having conversations with their spouse in their garage while their phones were nowhere near them. They turned off their other electronics, placed them on the opposite end of the house, and by the time they turned them all back on, they were getting ads popping up that were related to their personal conversations in the garage.

My wife freaked out when she found ads on her desktop linked to private conversations we were having on our patio. It was her Apple smartphone listening. She had her IT department disable it but they cant remove it from the phone. Thanks Apple.

a reply to: GrumpyPants

Well written and thanks!

Smart TV's have microphones, internet cable boxes with voice commands have microphones, google/amazon ect. have them too and I bet they do connect to the internet even when the wifi is off (satellite). The ps4-5 might be able to use the speaker in the controller as a mic as well. There have been times however where a thought I had lead to an ad, it was a bit too specific to be random.

These ad's never find me super deals though.

a reply to: Crackalackin

Correct

originally posted by: GrumpyPants

Research the ZN414 Ferranti integrated circuit.

Boy did you lead me down a rabbit hole. Thanks!

So according to the white paper on this IC, there only needs to be 6 external components in order to facilitate a fully functioning AM tuner. That in itself is impressive. Furthermore, the IC is 40 year old technology that was used in components from everything like TVs to cable boxes, vehicle computers, and discrete systems!

You hit the nail on the head. If they had this tech in the 1970's, imagine what they have now.

I can positively lean towards gov'ts or even corporations that use tech like this on every single PCB they produce, and very few people know they exist. With the size of nanocircuits today, and computerized placement and soldering, we can presume that every PCB has been fitted with similar technology.

I don't want to sound paranoid, but nothing would be safe.

Interesting.

I use Brave for my web browser and it seems to have finally blunted the "you looked at this product in 1982 here are ad's just for you".

I also run through a vpn and between the 2 it seems to have helped a lot with that tracking.

most of the times it has popped up I would say it came from google assistant or something like that.

a reply to: 38181

Yep it now happens all the time, everywhere.

a reply to: GrumpyPants

Well written. A for your energy as expended!