"The unsettling feeling that your device is spying on you is real — but the culprit isn't a secret microphone. It's the data broker industry," EFF’s @evacide tells CNET. https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/features/no-your-iphone-isnt-listening-to-you-heres-whats-really-happening/
No, Your iPhone Isn't Listening to You. Here's What's Really Happening

There are lots of reasons an ad pops up on your phone, but none involve a microphone listening.

CNET
@eff @evacide this is one of the best and most accessible descriptions of this system that I've read. I'm going to share it with lots of people that I know. Thanks!

@alisynthesis @evacide

my fav part:

"Money tends to concentrate in hours and places where the model expects better results, so delivery clusters in time. That's why an ad can land the same night you talked about a topic, because the system already had reasons to try you tonight, and you happened to be scrolling when the budget was flowing."