A controversy surrounding Cox Media and two marketing firms, MindSift and 1010 Digital Works, has led to a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. The companies claimed to have the ability to secretly listen to users through their phones and smart devices, but lacked evidence to support this claim.

The FTC announced on Thursday that the companies will pay a total of $930,000 to settle allegations of deceptive advertising. This issue was first reported a couple of years ago, when Cox publicly promoted a system called Voice Data, claiming it could target ads based on casual conversations.

The settlement serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and honesty in advertising, particularly when it comes to sensitive topics like user data and privacy.

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