[nxc18]

The burden of proof falls on the people making claims that facebook is listening. Absent that, it seems extremely unlikely that facebook is recording audio and no one has posted in outrage about it - streaming audio would be quite conspicuous.

Even more troubling than audio recording in this case is that facebook has so much information about you that they don’t need it. The idea that facebook knows the approximate content of your conversations/thoughts to the point that it seems like they’re listening should be deeply troubling.

If facebook knows the content of your conversation, seemingly before or at the same time that you have it, what does that mean for free will? Agency? (Obviously free will is bs, but most people I’ve talked to refuse to acknowledge that - is this a wake-up call?)

What other predictions can they make? With the level of information given to facebook (browsing history, precise location, when you’re asleep and when you’re awake, and possibly much more, like your cell account info and the TV you watch) they can build a very complete picture of your life, and may even know things about yourself that you don’t know.

Of course, when facebook is actively listening to you (e.g. for facebook messenger) all bets are off. They already read your conversations anyway, so it’s not a far jump.