The persistent Myth that Meta secretly listens to users through their phone microphones to target ads has been denied once again by Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram. The statement dropped just as Meta prepares to expand how it uses data from its artificial intelligence systems for advertising. This move has already sparked debates about privacy worldwide, including in Pakistan.
For years, social media users have complained of eerie coincidences, where casual conversations about food, travel, or gadgets are often seemingly followed by Instagram ads on the same topics. However, Mosseri stressed that secretly activating microphones would not only be a significant violation but also technically impractical, since users would notice unusual battery drain or security indicators.
Meta’s ad system relies on other data points instead, such as advertiser information about which websites people visit and patterns detected among users with similar behavior. However, starting December 16, the company will take further action. Interactions with Meta’s AI tools, such as chats, prompts, and questions, will become part of the data pool that informs advertising under Instagram’s new privacy policy.
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Collecting data shared with AI might feel like eavesdropping, but it actually is not. Critics still argue that data collected and processed by AI can be just as revealing as data collected by a live microphone. In Pakistan, where WhatsApp and Instagram dominate everyday communication, the policy raises new questions, such as how much of what users type, search, or ask AI may influence the ads they see.
The timing is sensitive as Pakistan is still struggling to implement strong data protection laws, leaving users vulnerable to opaque data practices. Public trust remains fragile, even if Meta denies using microphones, claiming it’s a Myth, particularly after years of speculation about “spying” through apps.
Meta’s message is clear:
It is just a Myth that Instagram is always listening through your phone. It doesn’t need to do that to know what you want. The data you already share and the information you exchange with its AI may be more than enough to fuel its advertising machine.
