Cox Media fined for false spying claims

Cox Media, along with marketing firms MindSift and 1010 Digital Works, has been fined $930,000 by the Federal Trade Commission. The settlement resolves allegations that the companies falsely claimed to be secretly listening to users' conversations via phones and smart devices to target advertisements. Cox had previously boasted about a system called Voice Data, suggesting it could capture "every casual conversation." While the FTC's action addresses the deceptive advertising practices, the initial claims of widespread listening capabilities were met with skepticism regarding their actual technical feasibility.