Do you tell people when they are on speaker phone?

[katie01]

If you're in public talking on your cell with speakers turned on, do you tell the person on the other line? I've overheard all sorts of private conversations in the aisles of Target, or the school parking lot, and always wonder if the person on the other end knows their conversation is being broadcasted.

Similarly, I've thought I was having a private conversation with a friend only to hear her kids respond to something I was saying, when I thought she was alone in the car

 

[DizBelle]

You should always tell the other party if what they say can be heard beyond the person to whom they are speaking.

 

[design_mom]

I would not put someone on speaker in a public place like Target or a park. That's just rude to the people around you and the person you're speaking with.

If I was at home, or in a meeting, and had them on speaker either where other people were listening or could overhear, I would tell them they were on speaker. In your example about talking to your friend I'd probably say, "Hey, the kids and I are in the car and I have you on speaker."

If I was alone in the car, then I might not mention it since I'm the only one who is there.

I would want to know if I was on speaker and others were listening.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

There are only two people I usually tell because they aren't the most appropriate people in the world and that is my husband and his cousin(whom I'm close to so we talk often).

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

...I don't do it in stores. A quiet corner of the park or in my car I do.

 

[aprilchem]

I would tell somebody if I'm talking to them on speaker phone. However, I don't ever use it because when I'm talking to somebody and they have me on speaker phone I can never hear them, so I assume they can't hear me if I do it!

 

[momto2girls]

The only time I would use the speaker phone is in the car or at home. I always talk on the speaker phone in the car because I have bluetooth, so my phone hooks up to it automatically. The only time I mention it is if there is someone else around to hear the conversation. Then, I always warn the person on the other end of the line. I never mention it if I'm the only one hearing the conversation.

 

[Meriweather]

I don't do it in public. Usually just when DGD is talking to a relative because she is running around, so no I don't tell them, they know

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yup I sure do and so do others near me. Granted I personally don't have people on speaker when I'm right around other people other. (ETA: Clarification I don't have people on speaker in public at all.)

For me it's not just about privacy but also being able to hear someone and they hear me. When I'm connected via bluetooth to the speaker for instance things like a wall and whatnot can interfere with the connection. As far as the privacy thing goes it's just about respect for others around me to me.

Honestly it irks me that my in-laws have their phone paired to their truck. A 20min conversation with their daughter or who else when I'm captive in the car . They will still say "Honey you're on speaker" except for instance I'm still there....listening to whether or not the daughter should buy the storage tub at Target or the storage tub at Big Lots or just go with moving boxes instead, but then if it rains the stuff will get wet, and the parents aren't going to help move and what should they do for lunch, etc (true back and forth conversation that occurred a few weeks ago).

My mom seems to have a knack for calling me when I'm listening to music through a bluetooth speaker ; I'm alone in my house when I'm doing that so it's no biggie to have her on speaker. It's never happened before but if I had that speaker out in my backyard or something like that and she called I would tell her she's on speaker like usual but I would tell her that I will call her back when I'm not connected.

 

[tvguy]

I don't use speaker phone (cell or landline) and you can tell when someone is on one so I keep asking them to repeat themselves until they turn it off.

 

[amberpi]

I do for work calls when I'm also going to have the call on mute. If its a personal call, I'll tell them I'm going to put the phone down and put it on speaker for a few minutes - usually to put dishes away or something, but never, never in public.

 

[Westcoastwild]

You can tell when you're on speaker most of the time. So, no, I don't. I mean if I'm in the car with someone and a friend calls, I'll be like, hey, I'm cruising with so-and-so.

That said, if the conversation becomes personal either in the embarrassing or negative sense, I'll tell whoever is on the line that I'll call them back.

People have the craziest conversations on public in general so I kind of think of it in terms that: if you're calling someone, and you want to make it anprivate conversation, first make sure it's actually private. You call me and I pick up, I'm probably not at home, and it would generally not be appropriate to launch into an embarrassing topic anyway. I mean...if it's something like pet bowel health or whether I think your husband is cheating on you, do you want me to answer that in a public setting, speaker phone or no? After all people can still hear my side of the conversation!

 

[bigbabyblues]

I don't use speaker phone unless I'm in the car, and the only people I answer for while driving are DH or my kids. I don't get why people use speaker phone in public at all. I think it rude.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

I work in a large grocery store & am amazed at the amount of people who walk through this store on their speakerphone. It's very rude & annoying to others around you & super rude if you continue to talk on the phone while trying to check out. I usually end up having to raise my voice to communicate with them. I wonder what the person on the other end knows what's giving by on???

 

[North of Mouse]

If you're in public talking on your cell with speakers turned on, do you tell the person on the other line? I've overheard all sorts of private conversations in the aisles of Target, or the school parking lot, and always wonder if the person on the other end knows their conversation is being broadcasted.

Similarly, I've thought I was having a private conversation with a friend only to hear her kids respond to something I was saying, when I thought she was alone in the car

Don't usually have long conversations in public - despise hearing people go 'on and on' with conversations you can't get away from in public (especially in a loud voice). A short conversation and 'I'll call you later' can usually suffice! It is soooo rude, and doubly so in a different language than most commonly used.

As for the 'speaker' phone issue - would 'never' do that in public anyway. At home will occasionally do that with my sis as we have 'long' conversations - LOL. She, too, does that with me. We can each tell when we are on speaker, so no need to say she is - has an echo-ey sound to it!!

 

[MataHari22]

I use speaker phone all the time at home when I'm alone, but I never use it in public. I don't often talk on my phone in public, actually. If I was on my phone while I was around other people, and had to put it on speakerphone for some reason, then yes, I would let the person know it.

 

[HannaBelle]

I despise speaker phone and refuse to talk to people one to one on speaker. If it is necessary, then I always tell them we are on speaker and who is with me.

 

[BrianL]

I will tell them if anyone else could hear, but not if it's just me alone in my house. I also would never use a speaker phone where anyone else could hear who shouldn't be a party to the conversation.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I really dislike talking to people on speaker so I never use it in my private life. I, also, dislike listening to other people's conversation in public. The phone has become more of a nuisance than it should be. Not sure what's so important that you need to be talking at the table in a restaurant or grocery store and especially on speaker.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I despise speaker phone and refuse to talk to people one to one on speaker.

I really dislike talking to people on speaker so I never use it in my private life.

My mom is 58 years old however she needs hearing aids. There's this thing that if you've got an iPhone there is a way for hearing aids to connect directly with your phone and you just speak out loud like normal (so she was told when she got the hearing aids). My mom doesn't have an iPhone but she does have this device that goes around her shoulders sitting on her collar bone and has a microphone on it.

Whenever possible (though it's when she's in private not out and about in public or around other people out of respect for other people since there is a lot of other distractions going on that can impact the call for the person she is calling due to how she would be calling them) she'll use that device (which is bluetoothed to her phone and hearing aids) and then the other person's voice goes right through to her hearing aids without the phone needing to be up to her ear. It is basically like being on a speaker on the receiving end at least and yes I can tell that she doesn't have the phone right up to her ear due to the noise and slight echo (though that's only when the connection isn't the best). It's what feels the most comfortable for her due to her need for hearing aids. It's a lot less comfortable for her to bring the phone device to her ears. She'll always notify me though if she's called me using that device.