Cox Media Group fined $930k for fake phone listening claims

A media company, Cox Media Group, and two marketing partners have been fined for falsely claiming they could listen to consumers' phone conversations through a service called "Active Listening." Despite concerns consumers had about their phones eavesdropping, the FTC found the service was fabricated and involved reselling email lists from data brokers. The companies were fined a total of $930,000, with settlement funds designated for refunds to affected customers. The article urges individuals to protect their personal data and offers tips for doing so.