Skip to main content


Google Voice alternatives?


I've been using my GV number as my phone number on FB because there's no way I'm giving them my main number, but the problem is that Facebook now sees what I'm shopping for on my other tablet. Yes, aside from the phone number, FB is on a separate device that shares a WiFi connection, so the leak is cause by Google Voice or my network, and I'm leaning towards GV, which is an easy one to plug... I assume?

At this point the only thing that GV offers that's important to me is the ability to use it through a computer as well as my phone, so I'm thinking some type of VOIP that has an app and a web interface? I don't mind paying a small fee for the latter, though I don't need a full on business VOIP solution, which is where you usually find web interfaces.

#voip

#voip

Jeph reshared this.

in reply to 🌴 Seph πŸ’­ πŸ‘Ύ

> [...] Facebook now sees what I'm shopping for on my other tablet.

Have you thought of using umatrix on your shopping tablet?

I once made a joke at a friend's place where I was staying the night, and the punchline involved me saying the word "pineapple" quite loudly.

A couple hours later, I went to bed, and I used a brand new laptop with a fresh Linux OS to go to YouTube and check for some videos. As soon as I opened YouTube, I was greeted with dozen upon dozen of pineapple videos.

in reply to 7heo

They most likely configured their phones with all sorts of GAFAM accounts and, from simply sharing their IP address, I was associated with any keyword their devices picked.

So, yeah, it can be potentially pretty freaky, but in the end, it is almost always either a rogue microphone or a rogue JavaScript dependency.

in reply to 7heo

@7heo I don't think so in this case, because both devices are Android (Google product), and Voice (Google product) is installed on the tablet, and Voice number is used for Facebook. Google has a long track record of selling everything they can harvest from you, and with a connection between Facebook and my Google account? Yeah, I'm fairly certain that's where the leak is
@7heo
in reply to 🌴 Seph πŸ’­ πŸ‘Ύ

Google having a track record of selling anything they can from you is correct.

I don't get how this makes them unable to constantly listen to your microphone, and constantly log all you do (and buy).

And then sell this data to anyone (including, ofc, facebook).

Absolutely get rid of google voice, I'm not gonna stop you there, that's a great first step. But don't be surprised if the leak doesn't stop. Your public IP is a much likelier identifier here than a phone number.

⇧