Instagram listening to conversations? Why people see ads of things they recently spoke about

Has it ever happened that we are having a conversation about something, and it suddenly appears on our Instagram feeds?This spooky coincidence has been commonly felt by users, and many of them feel that the social media app is secretly listening to what they say. However, this skepticism has become more prevalent after a lawsuit was filed against Apple’s Siri, after being accused of eavesdropping on conversations.Recently, Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, made certain clarifications about this, but this doesn’t stop the feeling that Instagram might be spying.In his video, Mosseri directly addressed the rumors by saying, “We do not listen to you. We do not use the phone's microphone to eavesdrop on you,” adding that this claim was a myth he had discussed numerous times. Mosseri further explained that if Instagram were secretly listening to users, it would not only be a “gross violation of privacy,” but it would also be noticeable.For instance, users would see a light on their phone indicating that the microphone was on, and it would drain the phone's battery.So why do users sometimes see ads for things they’ve recently talked about? According to Mosseri, “It’s not because Instagram listened to you,”. According to Mosseri, Instagram may serve targeted ads based on a user’s previous interactions with products, "A user may have 'tapped' on something related or may have searched for a particular product online before the conversation began," he explained. Instagram works with advertisers who provide information about users who have visited their websites. He said, "We actually do work with advertisers who share information with us about who was on their website to try to target those people with ads", inorder to provide personalised ads for the audience.Instagram also takes into account the interests of your friends and people with similar interests to serve relevant ads. If your friends are engaging with certain products, Instagram may show you similar ads. He explained, "So it could be that you were talking to someone about a product and they, before, had actually looked for or searched for that product." Mosseri noted that Instagram tracks user behavior across similar interest groups. If other users with similar interests have looked for or engaged with certain products, Instagram may target you with related ads. "Or that in general, people with similar interests were doing the exact same thing."Mosseri also discussed how sometimes ads might appear after you’ve already seen them, which can make it seem like Instagram "knew" about your conversation. This happens because users often scroll past ads quickly, and without realizing it, some of that content sticks with them. When that topic later comes up in conversation, it feels like the ad was somehow connected to the discussion. “Sometimes you internalize some of that, and that actually affects what you talk about later,” Mosseri explained.Lastly, he acknowledged that sometimes, the appearance of certain ads could simply be a "coincidence." Despite all of his explanations, he understands that some users may still be skeptical but emphasised his goal of setting the record straight about Instagram's practices.