According to CNET, Neon has quietly returned to both iOS and Android app stores after being disabled in late September when TechCrunch discovered a security flaw allowing access to other people’s call information. The app’s founder Alex Kiam promised a return with user bonuses, and now Neon is offering 30 cents per minute up to $30 through 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 6. The biggest change is that Neon now only records and pays for calls between other Neon app users, shifting from its previous model that raised legal concerns about call consent laws. The company sells anonymized recordings to companies training AI models and previously offered $30 for referrals, though current referral compensation remains unspecified.
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Still Sketchy Territory
Look, paying people to record their conversations feels like one of those ideas that’s either brilliant or deeply problematic. And honestly, it’s probably both. The shift to app-to-app calls definitely addresses the biggest legal red flag – recording people without their knowledge. But here’s the thing: even with both parties technically consenting by using the app, there’s still the question of whether users truly understand what they’re signing up for.
Privacy experts warned CNET that AI could still infer identities even from “anonymized” data. Basically, if you’re talking about your job, your location, your family – that creates a digital fingerprint that’s way more identifiable than companies like to admit. And let’s not forget this is the same app that had a security breach allowing access to other people’s call information just two months ago.
Will Anyone Actually Use This?
So now the big question: who’s going to have enough conversations with other Neon users to make this worthwhile? At 30 cents per minute, you’d need to talk for nearly two hours to hit that $30 cap. And that’s only during the promotional window – we don’t even know what the regular rate will be.
Think about it: you’d need to convince your friends, family, and colleagues to install an app specifically so you can get paid for talking to them. That feels… awkward. The referral program might help, but without clear payment details, it’s hard to see this gaining the critical mass needed to become actually useful for regular conversations.
The Real Customer Is AI
Here’s what’s really driving this: AI companies are desperate for real conversational data. They need millions of hours of natural conversations to train their models, and they’re willing to pay for it. Neon is essentially acting as a middleman between people having conversations and companies building AI systems.
But is this sustainable? And more importantly, is it ethical? Kiam told CNET he expected rapid growth because “we’re giving people free money,” but that feels like an oversimplification. You’re not getting free money – you’re selling access to your personal conversations, even if they’re “anonymized.” The value exchange seems pretty lopsided when you consider what AI companies stand to gain from all that training data.
What Happens Next?
I’m skeptical this model will last. Between the legal tightrope, the privacy concerns, and the practical challenge of building a user base large enough for meaningful conversations, Neon faces an uphill battle. The security breach history doesn’t inspire confidence either.
Maybe they’ll find a niche of people willing to have scripted conversations just for the payments. Or maybe this will join the graveyard of apps that promised easy money for questionable data sharing. Either way, I’d think twice before installing an app that monetizes your most personal interactions – even if both parties technically consent.
