You’re not paranoid: Your phone really is listening in

The scene plays out like a thriller: You pull out your phone, and you see an ad for AirPods.

Wait a minute, you think. Didn’t I just have a conversation about AirPods with my friend? Like, a real conversation, spoken aloud? Is my phone … listening to me?

Why, yes, it probably is. When you use your default settings, everything you say may be recorded through your device’s onboard microphone. While there’s been no concrete evidence, many Americans believe their phones routinely collect their voice data and use it for marketing purposes.