Instagram’s chief Adam Mosseri has stepped in once again to address the claim that Meta secretly listens to people’s conversations. The video[1] appeared on the same day Meta confirmed it will start using[2] data from its AI tools to fine-tune advertising, a move that has already raised new privacy concerns.
A Rumor That Won’t Fade
The idea that Meta, once Facebook, listens through phone microphones has been around for years.[3] People often point to moments when they talk about a product and then soon after see an ad for it[4]. The theory looks convincing because the ads sometimes feel too accurate to be chance.
The company has rejected the idea several times before. A blog post in 2016 said[5] the microphone wasn’t used for ads or news feeds. Mark Zuckerberg repeated that denial at a Senate hearing in 2018. Meta’s help pages still tell users the same: microphones are only switched on when someone gives permission and opens a feature that needs sound input.
Why Ads Seem To Match Conversations
Mosseri tried to explain why people link ads to their private talks. One reason is that browsing activity is already shared with advertisers. If someone looks at a product online, the retailer may pay Meta to show that same item later. Another factor is that the system places ads based on the interests of friends or of people who behave in similar ways.
Sometimes the ad has already been shown before the conversation, but people don’t always notice. They scroll past quickly and only recall it later when the subject comes up. And sometimes, Mosseri added, it is nothing more than coincidence. He also pointed out that continuous microphone use would quickly drain a phone’s battery, something people would spot right away.
New Data From AI Tools
What gives the debate fresh weight is Meta’s plan to change how it collects information. A new privacy policy due in December will allow the company to use details from chats with its AI products to shape advertising. The update covers Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger.
That means ads will no longer depend only on web searches or patterns in friends’ activity. Conversations with chatbots can include personal thoughts, plans, and preferences, giving the company a deeper view than a single search or website visit ever could. The targeting may feel more direct as a result, even if microphones aren’t involved.
Ongoing Distrust
Despite repeated denials, many people still believe the company listens in. Comments under Mosseri’s post showed continued doubt. The concern may only grow as AI data is folded into the system, since ads could appear even more precise than before.
Meta insists that microphones aren’t the source. The technology it already has, powered by data sharing and now AI, seems enough to create the effect that has kept the rumor alive for nearly a decade.
Image: DIW-Aigen
Note: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools
Read next:
• Meta Expands Political Fight on AI Rules While Supplying U.S. Military with Its Tech[6]
• Which Country Reigns Supreme in Global Crypto Growth?[7]
References
- ^ The video (www.instagram.com)
- ^ will start using (about.fb.com)
- ^ Meta, once Facebook, listens through phone microphones has been around for years. (www.digitalinformationworld.com)
- ^ when they talk about a product and then soon after see an ad for it (www.digitalinformationworld.com)
- ^ A blog post in 2016 said (about.fb.com)
- ^ Meta Expands Political Fight on AI Rules While Supplying U.S. Military with Its Tech (www.digitalinformationworld.com)
- ^ Which Country Reigns Supreme in Global Crypto Growth? (www.digitalinformationworld.com)