Years later, the platform’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, responded to widespread allegations that the popular social media platform Instagram secretly listens to its users via its microphone with a video. Mosseri categorically denied these allegations, calling such an action a “major privacy violation.”

Scandalous Allegations About Instagram

Responding to the question, “Is Instagram listening to us?”, Mosseri claimed that eavesdropping is technically impossible. The CEO noted that iOS and Android operating systems have built-in security mechanisms and reminded users that an app activates the phone’s microphone.

Mosseri also addressed the issue of products that appear as ads in Instagram feeds immediately after users mention them during phone calls. Mosseri explained that this could be due to several different reasons.

First, he noted that users may have searched online for that product before talking, and that it’s normal for the ad to appear. He also acknowledged that advertisers share data with Instagram to deliver personalized ads. This data sharing can lead to users seeing ads related to something they’ve talked about.

Mosseri explained that another reason for ad matches is that Instagram shows users ads that interest them based on who they follow and the posts they engage with.

He even mentioned the possibility that users might have seen the ad before but simply didn’t notice it. Finally, Mosseri noted that such matches could be purely coincidental or random, saying, “Sometimes the universe aligns in such a way that the thing you’re talking about suddenly appears as an ad.”

Mosseri also stated that he’s aware that some users won’t believe him, no matter how hard he tries to explain it. So, what are your thoughts on this? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.