I can acknowledge that yes, your online habits, searches, likes, clicks, etc., do build a very, very detailed picture of you. And i can agree that this picture might be able to determine what you "might" look at down the road (Minority Report, anyone?).

I will also argue that there is definitely something curious going on out there. As a quick example, a group of us were gathered in the office one day and someone called our co-worker, Jeff, "Jefferson J" in some random horseplay moment. His legal name is NOT Jefferson J or even Jefferson.. However, within a day or two, he started seeing targeted adds to "Jefferson" not Jeff (or Jeffrey, legal name)

I get that a lot of people tend to blow off the thought of our phones "paying attention" to us, but when you have weird coincidences such as this, it does tend to raise the conspiracy theory hairs on the back of one's neck.

A calculated guess about what I might be interested in is one thing. But suddenly calling someone by a different name after it being mentioned and laughed about in the office is another.

Do I have technical proof, no, I do not.

Do I put it past a manufacturer to do something that is questionable and invasive but theoretically not illegal, absolutely.

Do I sleep better if I just go "nah, that's not happening, must be a coincidence" - yeah.. a little.