Recent concerns have surfaced claiming Meta-owned platforms Instagram and WhatsApp listen to users’ private conversations through phone microphones to target ads. However, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri and Meta officials have firmly denied these allegations, calling them myths.
How Ads Are Targeted Without Listening
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Meta’s algorithms use web activity, search history, app behavior, and interactions with advertisers to deliver personalized ads.
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Ads may seem eerily relevant due to data sharing between advertisers and Meta, plus influence from friends’ interests and previous user searches.
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Users often subconsciously recall ads they encountered before conversations, creating a perception of “listening.”
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If actual microphone access occurred secretly, it would drain phone batteries and trigger visible indicators, neither of which happen.
WhatsApp’s Advanced Chat Privacy
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WhatsApp’s new privacy feature lets users restrict AI from accessing chat data and blocks chat export features.
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End-to-end encryption ensures chat privacy, and Meta AI is opt-in only with transparent controls.
Meta plans to use AI interaction data (with user consent) for better content suggestions, not audio surveillance, underscoring a shift toward AI-powered personalization.
Sources: Times Now, India Today, TechCrunch, Mathrubhumi, WhatsApp, Euronews October 2025