We do not use the phone’s microphone to eavesdrop on you, says Instagram Head

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has recently addressed widespread speculation that social media platforms listen to private conversations to deliver targeted advertisements. 

Speaking in a video posted on Instagram which he described as a 'myth busting video', Mosseri has clarified that the app does not eavesdrop on its users.

"We do not listen to you. We do not use the phone's microphone to eavesdrop on you," Mosseri said.

"Now first of all if we did it would be a gross violation of privacy. You would drain your phone's battery and you would notice. And you would actually see a little light on the top of the screen letting you know that your microphone was on," he added.

Mosseri outlined 4 reasons why users might perceive ads as unusually relevant to their private conversations. The answer is a mix of online behaviour, advertising practices, social patterns, and plain coincidence.

The first reason is simple online behaviour

"Maybe you actually tapped on something that was related or even searched for that product online on a website. Maybe before you had that conversation," Mosseri 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. So if you were looking at a product on a website that advertiser might have paid us to reach you with an ad," Mosseri explained.

The second reason? Social layer of ad targeting

"We show people ads that we think that they're interested in or products we think they're interested in – in part based on what their friends are interested in and what similar people with similar interests are interested in," Instagram head said. 

In practice, this means that if you talk with a person about something, and that person had already searched for it, the algorithm might show you the same ad, creating the impression that the app was listening. It might also happen with people having similar interests.

The third reason involves rapid scrolling

Walking down a packed street, you see tons of faces but only remember only a few. Scrolling on social media is similar – we scroll so quickly that most of what we see slips away unnoticed. 

"You might have actually seen that ad before you had the conversation and not realized it. We scroll quickly, we scroll by ads quickly and sometimes you internalize some of that – and that actually affects what you talk about later," Mosseri said.

Finally, Mosseri pointed to the role of chance

"Random chance. Coincidence. It happens," Mosseri said.

By breaking down these four reasons, Mosseri tried to demystify one of the most persistent myths that Instagram secretly listens through the user's microphone. Instead, he argued, what feels like eavesdropping is often just the result of how targeted ads are designed to follow patterns of behaviour, connections, and timing.

Despite posting the video, Mosseri admitted the rumour is unlikely to go away anytime soon. "I know some of you are just not going to believe me, no matter how much I try to explain it," he said. 

Many viewers echoed that scepticism in the comments, with one of the most-liked responses reading: "That is exactly what I would say if I was listening to people's conversations."