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Help Is Marshmallow sending SMS data to Google? (Confirmed, it is)

D

doooford

Newbie
Here is an interesting one. Earlier today I bought some very unique children's probiotic capsules on impulse from a health food shop. Now it's important that this was an impulse as I'd never heard or seen such a thing and certainly never searched on google for them.
I sent a text message to my wife and the next time I went online on my laptop an advert appeared howing the exact unique product. I have installed 2 applications, Blackberry Hub and Blue Mail.
Is there a way to see system logs of what data is sent to Google and what is tracking me? I have tried to lock down the OS to stop snooping, but it is a lively beast and seems insistent on getting me one way or another :-)
 
Did you purchase via a web site? If so then the browser/search history probably gave the game away.

Is there a way to see system logs of what data is sent to Google and what is tracking me?
Click to expand...

Not as such, but the Google Dashboard allows you to fine-tune the info that is (or isn't) shared. Between it and your account Privacy settings, it's quite possible (contrary to popular myth) to use Google's core services without selling your soul. ;)
 
No, I went in to a real life shop and purchased it (with cash). That's what I mean, something definitely snooped that text message!
 
Did you use Android Pay? Is your GPS on? Set on high accuracy?
I'm not sure if any of that (outside AP) would matter but Google knows all and it's sometimes unsettling. When I tore the ligament in my knee my friend took me to the doctor, he has GPS/wifi set to high accuracy and almost immediately got ads for knee/back/wrist braces.

ninja'd. I see you paid cash. hmmm
 
No, used solid money. This shop had 5000+ products.
Absolutely that message is the only way Google Ads would know that.
 
I use cash, don't have gps enabled. Don't shop or compare online. If I see an advert for something I spoke to no-one about then this phone is snooping on me :)
 
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Bang, so last night a friend suggested sending a text message for something obscure. I'm not bald so I sent a text to my wife to pick me up some hair restorer. I forgot to warn her about it so she was confused, as I said I'm not bald.
Anyway, just now I opened a browser and looked at a newspaper site. There on the google ads were 3 items:-

1 - Blackberry Priv
2 - Probiotic Childrens Chocolate Drops
3 - Hair recovery shampoo

Sure it's a coincidence, but the odds are growing on this. I have never looked for hair regrowth stuff as I say I'm not bald!
Anyway, tonight I'll ask a random person for a random product, but be aware, Google is reading you SMS messages!
 
You are using SMS, not messaging using Google Voice/Hangouts (i.e. Internet messaging using Google's systems)?

I don't believe that Google have access to normal SMS, not least because it would be extremely damaging to them for it to come out (and it would come out). But don't know the terms and conditions with those other things, as I don't use them.

Another random thought: you don't have anything backing up your messages automatically to a Google server (for example SMS Backup+ automatically backs up messages to a folder in your Gmail account, and I expect other backup apps may back up to Google Drive)?
 
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