How To Stop Instagram From Listening

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Has it ever seemed like Instagram is eavesdropping on your conversations? You might be talking about a certain product or destination, only to find ads related to it on your Instagram feed the next day. If this scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many people suspect that Instagram is ‘listening’ through your phone’s microphone to tailor ads based on your conversations.

However, Instagram, as part of the Facebook family of apps, has repeatedly denied these claims, stating that ads are based on user interests and other demographic information. Regardless of whether Instagram is truly listening or not, if you are uncomfortable with the potential access to your phone’s microphone, here’s how you can prevent Instagram from listening.

For iPhone Users:

  1. Go to your iPhone settings
  2. Scroll down and find Instagram
  3. Click on the Instagram icon
  4. Under the option ‘Allow Instagram to Access’, you’ll find ‘Microphone’
  5. Toggle the switch off

By following these steps, you’re essentially denying Instagram access to your iPhone’s microphone.

For Android Users:

  1. Go to your Android settings
  2. Find and click on ‘Apps’
  3. Scroll down to find Instagram
  4. Click on ‘Permissions’
  5. Find and toggle the switch off for ‘Microphone’

These steps will stop Instagram from accessing your Android’s microphone.

In addition to adjusting your phone settings, it’s worthwhile to adjust your Instagram app settings as well. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Open your Instagram app
  2. Go to your profile and click on the three lines at the top right corner
  3. Click on ‘Settings’
  4. Click on ‘Security’
  5. Click on ‘Access data’
  6. Under ‘Ads’, click on ‘Ad Interests’
  7. Here, you can see what Instagram thinks are your interests. You can remove the ones you don’t want to get ads for

This method helps to limit the types of ads you see on Instagram.

In conclusion, while it’s debatable whether Instagram is really ‘listening’ through your phone’s microphone, it’s always a good idea to stay on the safe side. By managing your phone and app settings as mentioned, you can take control of your privacy and avoid any unwanted ads on your feed.