Facebook, who has been taking heat for stealing private user information has now come up with a new and gathering data. But, the change is that this time it’s legal and profitable to the user as well. As Facebook is ready to pay you for your voice recordings, you heard us right!
They are willingly paying users in exchange for their voice recordings that will, in turn, be used to help improve its speech recognition technology.
This major step is a precautionary method for the company after their last year’s setback which literally pushed facebook on sidetracks. Last year, Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft found themselves in hot waters alongside Facebook as well, after it transpired that their employees and contractors were transcribing users’ voice recordings without the user’s concern.
But, the gathered data is such an important asset for these companies that they are willing to even pay for that. Facebook started its data-gathering campaign with just simple and plain voice recording without anything that too personal.
According to Facebook, the voice recording will be used to improve their speech engine. But, we all know that it’ll end up being the base tactics for getting valuable user information later on, even at more higher exchange value then they are offering right now.
The whole idea revolves around the fact the user submit their voice recordings and will get paid for the same. But, there’s one catch that it’s not for everyone and only some selected users can be part of the process.
How to Be a Part of Facebook’s Voice Recognition Program
The idea, as being named by the company, is called ‘Pronunciation’. Users will have to first download the company’s latest marketing application, Viewpoints market research app.
If users qualify to be part of the program, the app guides you into recording certain phrases. Users have to record the phrase “Hey Portal” followed by the first name of a friend from your friends’ list. There is a limit of a maximum of 10 friends per set for a particular user in a day.
Additionally, they have to record each statement twice, included in every set. And if you complete one set of recordings, you get 200 points in the Viewpoints app.
Here, the cash is earned by redeeming the points collected in your account. Facebook’s service has the minimum amount set by the company to cash out is 1000 points.
So, if you think that you can cash your 200 points yet, then the answer is a huge no, you have to complete at least a minimum of 5 sets to become eligible for payment from their side.
If a user crosses the mark of 1000 points, he/she can translate their points into a $5 reward card via PayPal. The company also shared the fact that users are offered to make five sets of recordings at one go.
Currently, the service is available for only US adult citizens. Users must have 75+ friends on their Facebook account to exercise the offer. As per the company, the program is coming out slowly, so it will not be made available to every user right away.
If you are offered the service if will pop up over to your Viewpoint application, so if you’re interested then keep checking the app from time to time.
Subsequently, Facebook shared some light over the security and permission clauses. Clearly stated, the voice recordings that users will provide is not to be connected to their Facebook profile.
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And as the company has borders between the sharing of information on Viewpoints activity and your Facebook account, there is a lesser percentage of data leakage.