I'm afraid of Instagram
- Thread starter ALLSMMNET
- Start date
- Jul 9, 2023
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- 102
But I don't even need to search for this question or topic on my phone...
- Feb 18, 2025
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That is partly part of their TOS when you use the app. You agree to it to some degree
- Jul 9, 2023
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Seriously? Analyze our live conversations that take place without the phone's microphone being turned on?
It's like a wiretapping. I wonder if disabling Instagram's microphone access would help?
- Mar 22, 2013
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This is called "look a like audience" and the reason they show you this is because your friend you talked about it probably searched for this kind of content before or after and because you spent time together (they can easily recognize this), Meta thinks you are also into this kind of stuff, so they think you could be a possible target audience as well.
They don't listen to your microphone. They are simply connecting the meta data.
Your friend likes specific content / products -> friend spends time with you -> Meta thinks you might also like this content / products
Actually its genius.
They don't listen to your microphone. They are simply connecting the meta data.
Your friend likes specific content / products -> friend spends time with you -> Meta thinks you might also like this content / products
Actually its genius.
- Jul 9, 2023
- 166
- 102
I hope this is true, and they don't listen to my snoring at night.
In any case, every time I see recommendations like this that I didn't even look for, it scares me. I think I'll get used to it over time.
- Nov 25, 2019
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Yeah man, I’ve felt the same. Sometimes the stuff Instagram shows feels way too close to what I was just talking about. It’s not listening, it’s just crazy good at tracking what we click, where we go, and who we hang around. Still feels weird though.
A lot of people report the same thing, but Instagram has always denied using the microphone for ad targeting. In most cases it happens because IG tracks your location, interests, browsing, mutual connections, and shared behavior patterns, so the recommendations feel “too accurate.” It’s more about data correlation than actually listening. Still, you’re not the only one who finds it creepy.
- Jul 9, 2023
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I just can't understand if this data collection is legal? It essentially violates my privacy and boundaries...
Jordan james02
BANNED
- Nov 7, 2025
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Honestly, I’ve noticed the same thing lately. Sometimes Instagram recommends stuff I only talked about out loud with someone, not even typed anywhere. It makes me wonder how much of it is coincidence and how much is the algorithm picking up patterns from our behavior.
Do you think it’s just targeting getting smarter, or is something else going on?
Do you think it’s just targeting getting smarter, or is something else going on?
Aldous Huxley
BANNED
- Dec 22, 2024
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Sometimes I have thoughts that I don't share with anyone, yet somehow instagram knows. I am not convinced that I have not breathed nanobots that have access to my unspoken thoughts and sharing them with META and Google.
- Jul 9, 2023
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I think it's all about corruption in the government. The globalists and global social companies are trading this data among themselves. Essentially, for large companies, we are just a commodity or a consumer who needs to be taken advantage of in "legal" ways. They are trying to convince us that a certain product is necessary right now.
Let's say it's a nose trimmer. Just talking about it with a friend, and suddenly there's a lot of ads for a nose trimmer with a plethora of features, like 10 features in one. Although getting rid of hair from the nose will help ordinary wax))
We have so much stopped paying attention to information spam, and it is after all affects our subconscious when making decisions.
In fact, this is a very deep and frightening topic for me. You don't think, I'm not paranoid, just if I start thinking about it and understand the current world order, then it becomes scary...
nehrademiko
Newbie
- Nov 21, 2025
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I’ve seen a lot of people mention this lately, and the timing of some recommendations really feels too on point. It makes you wonder how deep Instagram’s prediction system goes with behavior and interest signals.
- Sep 25, 2025
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In general, you shouldn’t discuss sensitive topics near a phone or any device with a microphone.
Probably they aren’t listening to your conversation, but if you and a friend start talking about something and your friend later searches for it at home, Instagram is very good at linking friendships. If it sees that you were in the same location before, you might end up seeing an ad or something else related to that topic.
This might just be half baked information, so take it with a grain of salt. But it’s also possible that you’re being fully monitored.
- Jul 9, 2023
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It's even more scary when you haven't even discussed your idea with anyone, haven't searched the internet, and see recommendations on Instagram.
This raises the question: HOW??
Aldous Huxley
BANNED
- Dec 22, 2024
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Maybe reading minds technology already exists and they use it. So many electromagnetic fields around us, we are basically unprotected.