All About Cookies

You’ve probably joked that your phone is “listening” after seeing eerily specific ads.

But in January, that conversation got serious.

Google agreed to a $68 million settlement over claims that Google Assistant recorded private conversations without consent — including alleged accidental activations.

Apple users are already receiving payouts from a separate $95 million Siri privacy settlement tied to similar concerns.

Both companies deny wrongdoing.
Both chose to settle.

Here’s what actually matters:

Voice assistants are always waiting for trigger phrases like “Hey Siri” or “Hey Google.”

Sometimes they mishear.

These “false accepts” can capture ambient speech you never intended to share.

And voice assistants aren’t the only risk.

Hackers can access microphones through malware.
Apps with mic permissions may collect more than you realize.
Unsecured networks make interception easier.

So no — your phone probably isn’t “spying” on you in some dramatic way.

But unintended recordings and privacy gaps absolutely happen.

If you’ve ever wondered whether someone could be spying on your phone, here’s what to check:

👉 How to tell if someone is spying on your phone: https://allaboutcookies.org/is-someone-spying-on-my-phone
👉 How to stop your phone from listening: https://allaboutcookies.org/stop-your-phone-from-listening

Stay smart. Stay secure.

How To Stop Your Phone From Spying on You (2026) Your smartphone and plan carrier use voice data, from voice assistant apps like Siri and Google Assistant to personalized ads. Here's how to stop your phone from targeting you.

🚫 Ads everywhere? Not anymore.

We just announced the Best Ad Blockers of 2026. Tools that don’t just hide ads, but block trackers, protect privacy, and keep malicious junk from loading in the first place.

We tested these ourselves across browsers, devices, and streaming platforms to see which ones actually deliver.

🏆 2026 Winners:
Best Overall: Total Adblock
Best Value: Surfshark CleanWeb
Best for Online Security: Aura Company
Best for Data Privacy: NordVPN Threat Protection
Best for Apple: 1Blocker
Best Open-Source: uBlock Origin

Check out the full list: https://allaboutcookies.org/best-ad-blockers

🏆 Best Password Managers of 2026 just dropped.

We tested these tools ourselves (yes, we actually used them day-to-day) and compared what matters most: vault security, autofill reliability, sharing, breach monitoring, passkeys, privacy features, and overall value.

See the full list here: https://allaboutcookies.org/best-password-manager

✅ Congratulations to our 2026 Winners:
• Best Overall: NordPass
• Best Value: RoboForm Password Manager
• Best for Security: Keeper Security
• Best All-in-One: Aura Company
• Best for Sharing: 1Password
• Best for Families: Dashlane
• Best for Privacy: Proton
• Best Antivirus Bundle: Bitdefender
• Best for Compatibility: Bitwarden

We have one more Best Of 2026 announcement this week, so keep your eyes out!