Instagram head Adam Mosseri has dismissed long-running claims that the social platform secretly listens to users through their phone microphones to target ads.
His statement comes as Meta prepares to expand ad targeting using data from user interactions with its artificial intelligence tools.
Posting on Instagram on Wednesday, Mosseri said the idea that Meta activates microphones in the background to record conversations is an “age-old conspiracy theory.” The claim has circulated for years, as users often notice ads eerily related to recent conversations or even thoughts.
Mosseri acknowledged that even his own wife has questioned how Meta’s ad targeting seems so precise. “I’ve had many conversations with people about this,” he said, stressing that microphone spying would be a “gross violation of privacy.”
Why ads still feel too accurate
The timing of Mosseri’s comments is notable. Meta has just announced that it will soon target ads across its social apps — including Instagram and Facebook — using data from how users interact with its AI products.
This means the company no longer needs to rely on far-fetched methods to make its ad recommendations uncannily relevant. The algorithms already analyze user behavior, interests, and engagement at scale to predict what content people are likely to click on.
Familiar suspicion among users
For many, the belief persists because of personal experiences. Users report mentioning a product in conversation and then seeing it appear almost instantly on Instagram. Some say the coincidence feels so sharp it’s as if the app were “mind reading.”
Meta has consistently denied these accusations. The company insists its advanced targeting system — not covert microphone surveillance — explains how ads align with user interests.
While Mosseri rejects the microphone myth, he admitted that Meta’s technology can feel invasive. Privacy advocates often note that Meta’s business model depends on collecting and analyzing user data, which can still leave people uneasy even if conversations aren’t being recorded.
