December 2025

Your Phone is Listening

*sponsored by DeleteMe​

the "always on" microphone

Have you ever had that experience where you're talking about something and next thing you know you're served an advertisement about that same thing? It's creepy, it happens often...and today we're talking about the truth of what's going on and how you can protect yourself.

​Is your Phone ALWAYS Listening? (+ how to fix it)​

Go Deeper: It's scary how many different ways we're tracked across the internet and our devices. All of this remains "on" by default, which means that it's up to you to change the appropriate settings.

Phone Camera Your camera phone and photos share a lot about you, but you can change that. ​Change Camera Settings →​

Home Cameras We put these cameras all around our home, but how can we maintain privacy? ​Home Security Cameras →​

Go ahead, I'm listening...

Hi [CORRECTED_NAME GOES HERE], if you think about it, it's fairly simple to stop a camera from being able to see anything. All you have to do is somehow cover the lens with a sticker or a camera case.

But microphones are different.

I've tested tape on the mic, putting the phone in a Faraday bag or having it in my pocket and even though the sound is muffled, it's quite easy to hear what is being said.

In other words, you need to get creative if you want to maintain any level of privacy with this "always on" microphone you bring with you everywhere you go.

In this week's video, I wanted to dive into the myths surrounding this privacy nightmare. Is your phone recording all your conversations? Can Facebook hear what you're saying to send you targeted ads?

No matter what you believe, we're covering four levels of protection that you can implement:

• Level 1: These are the simple software controls that all of us need to be aware of. Not every app on your phone needs access to your mic and camera!
• Level 2: For those who want a little more privacy, the simple answer is often the best: just leave the phone out of the room!
• Level 3: For the privacy enthusiast, there is mobile hardware available that has physical switches that disable the camera and microphone.
• Level 4: For businesses and high-level individuals, there are ultrasonic solutions that disable a microphone without blocking regular phone usage. An example of this is Project Guardian that I explained in the video. It's priced for business usage, but in the case of journalist, law firms or other such industries, it's a game changer.

Right now we're mostly worried about apps and assistants like Siri, but as AI becomes ubiquitous, this is something that we'll have to continue to monitor.

Data Protection Begin 2026 with a fresh privacy start by having your personal data erased off the internet. This is your chance to get 20% off any individual or family plan, and it only takes 5 minutes to get set up! Try DeleteMe

This Week in Privacy News

​Browser extension security threats​

More than a hundred browser extensions spread across Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers turned malicious after five years of “normal” operation. The attackers were apparently playing the long con game - building trust for years before pulling the trigger on unsuspecting victims. Apparently, around 4.3 million devices are at risk.

--> Techradar.com/pro/security/4-3-million-have-installed-this-malicious-browser-extension-on-chrome-and-edge-heres-how-to-check

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​​Open AI data breach​

Hackers breached an OpenAI vendor and stole sensitive information about business customers on November 26, 2025, including names, emails, locations, and technical details about the customers’ systems.

--> Proton.me/blog/openai-data-breach
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​Using Smartwatches to verify age? ​

Age verification is becoming a hot button issue right now, and for good reason. A new Concordia study suggests a more "privacy friendly" alternative to facial ID or ID checks to verify age: a smartwatch. Is an ECG reading really the solution?

--> Miragenews.com/smartwatches-privacy-friendly-age-verification-1588285/

Your Thoughts?

Have you ever had that experience of feeling like you were just served an ad for something you were talking about only an hour earlier?

Reply and let me know about it.

✌️

Josh

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3824 Cedar Springs Rd #801-8170, Dallas, TX 75219
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