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Many Instagram users have experienced moments when ads appear so personal that it feels as though the app is listening in on conversations. The idea became widespread enough that Instagram head Adam Mosseri previously stated that the platform does not listen to users through their microphones.
According to Adam Mosseri, the reason ads can feel uncannily relevant is that Instagram analyses in-app behaviour such as comments, saves and searches, along with activity on third-party websites through tools such as the Meta Pixel and cookies. This data allows Meta to deliver highly personalised advertising, a practice that some users find intrusive or unsettling.
For those who want to limit how much data is used to personalise ads, Meta provides options within its settings. These steps reduce ad personalisation but do not decrease the overall number of ads shown across Instagram or other Meta platforms, including WhatsApp, where ads have recently been introduced into Status updates. Meta has also informed users that ad personalisation may be influenced by interactions with its Meta AI chatbot.
How to stop Instagram from showing hyper-personalised ads: a step-by-step guide
Method 1: Use the Meta Accounts Centre
Open the Instagram app on your phone
Go to your profile and tap the hamburger menu in the top-right corner
Tap on Accounts Centre
Scroll down and select Ad preferences
Tap on Manage info and choose Activity information from ad partners
Select Review setting and choose the option that says no to making ads more relevant using this information
Method 2: Disconnect Meta activity
Return to Accounts Centre
Select Your information and permissions
Tap on Your activity off Meta technologies
Choose Disconnect specific activity
Enter your password when prompted to confirm the setting
To apply this permanently, tap Manage future activity and select Disconnect future activity
Following these steps limits the use of off-platform and partner data for ad targeting, meaning ads will be less personalised, even though advertising will continue to appear across Meta’s apps.
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