According to a report recently published by the New York Times, it appears that hundreds of mobile games come with a functionality that taps into a mobile device’s microphone in order to capture audio signals from television programs, films, and even commercials. This particular software feature is said to be developed by a startup firm called Alphonso who is reportedly even taking full advantage of Shazam in identifying the audio being monitored. The compiled information is then sold to advertisers who are looking to target a specific demographic based on TV watching habits.
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https://www.wirefly.com/blog/news/report-loads-game-apps-monitor-users-tv-viewing-habits