It’s one of those things that tends to happen to all of us at some point. You’ll be talking to your friend about a subject, and then when you use an app or head to the internet, for some reason, there’s an ad for that specific subject you were just talking about. The first time it happens, it leaves your mind blown, and even makes you a bit paranoid about how our tech products might be listening to our conversations.
However, with data privacy becoming a huge subject for many over the past years, there are now new tools for our favorite tech products that give us a better way to understand what’s going on, when it’s not always so obvious. This is the case with our phones, giving us visual indicators when sensors are being used. There’s also more ways to control the experience too.
But regardless of this, there’s always some doubt about our devices listening in, which is why Instagram’s CEO Adam Mosseri decided to address the issue with a post on the platform, detailing why you might sometimes see ads that revolve around the things you’re discussing or are interested in (via CNET).
Some still won’t believe
Mosseri makes it clear from the start, Instagram does not listen to your conversations. He goes on to say that this type of activity is against the law. Plus, if this was happening, users would experience a noticeable drop in battery life, and that they would even see those aforementioned indicators showing that sensors are being used by the app when it’s not even in use.
So, if Instagram isn’t spying on you, then how does it get so much right when it comes to the ads that are directed at you? Well, it really relies on proper data collection through the app, and also relationships with ad brands. As you probably already know, you’re giving a lot away when you sign up to use an app like Instagram.
The app can harvest your data and use it how it pleases, which is something that a lot of people don’t like. All of this data gets used to deliver the best solutions when it comes to posts or advertisements. You have to assume that nothing is random when it comes to these apps or even websites. Once it understands your behavior, the app will deliver content you want to see in order to keep you there.
The same goes for product placements as well. It uses this data to serve you the most alluring products or services that you might actually be interested in. Data is also collected from the people around you, which means, if you have similar interests, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be seeing the same or similar things.
With that said, Mosseri also states that it could always just be a random coincidence too. Whatever your stance is on all of this, it’s a good reminder that whenever you’re using a product or platform, your data is most likely being monitored and collected. The platform is free to use, so it needs to find ways to make money after all.
There are ways to avoid this, but if you want to enjoy things on the internet, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll have to live with it.
