New Delhi: Meta has announced a major change to its privacy policy that will directly affect how Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp users experience its platforms. Starting 16 December, the company will begin using the content of users’ interactions with its generative AI features to personalise both content and advertising recommendations. This means that what you say to Meta AI—whether through text exchanges or voice chats—could shape the posts, groups, and ads you see across Meta platforms.
How the new policy will work
According to Meta, the move is intended to improve user experience by ensuring that people are shown content that aligns more closely with their interests. For example, if you chat with Meta AI about hiking, you may subsequently see recommendations for hiking groups on Facebook, posts from friends about trekking trails, or targeted ads for hiking gear.
Meta has clarified that these changes will not only apply to Facebook and Instagram but also extend to WhatsApp, where the AI assistant is integrated. The idea is to create a more personalised, AI-driven ecosystem across all of Meta’s major platforms.
No opt-out option
Users will start receiving official notifications about this change from 7 October. However, one aspect that has already sparked debate is the fact that there will be no option to opt out of this new data usage. While people will still be able to adjust the types of content and ads they see through existing settings, they cannot prevent Meta from using their AI chat data in the first place.
Privacy experts argue that this significantly limits user choice and raises concerns about how conversational data will be leveraged for commercial purposes.
Sensitive topics excluded
Meta has attempted to address privacy concerns by placing restrictions on certain categories of data. Conversations with Meta AI about sensitive subjects—including religious views, sexual orientation, political opinions, health, racial or ethnic origin, philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership—will not be used to personalise ads.
However, aside from these specific exclusions, all other conversational topics will be fair game for targeted advertising and content recommendations. For many users, this could mean a noticeable increase in ads related to everyday topics they casually discuss with Meta AI.
Impact and scale of the change
The scale of this policy change is significant, given Meta’s global reach. The company has revealed that more than one billion people use Meta AI every month, meaning this privacy update could potentially affect about one in eight people worldwide.
For businesses and advertisers, the change represents an opportunity to reach audiences more effectively by tapping into real-time conversational cues. For users, however, it raises questions about how much privacy remains in their interactions with AI systems.
Growing concerns around AI-driven personalisation
Meta’s announcement comes at a time when public debate about data privacy and generative AI is intensifying. While AI-driven personalisation may improve relevance and reduce unwanted content, it also deepens concerns about surveillance, manipulation and the shrinking space for private digital interactions.
Critics note that Meta’s history with data privacy controversies, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal, makes any expansion of data use particularly sensitive. Some experts fear that users may be less likely to engage openly with Meta AI once they realise that their conversations could directly influence the ads they see.
Conclusion
Meta’s new privacy policy marks a turning point in how AI-driven platforms handle user data. By integrating conversational inputs into its vast advertising ecosystem, the company is pushing further towards a future where generative AI not only assists users but also shapes the commercial content they encounter. While Meta insists the changes will make its platforms more useful and engaging, the absence of an opt-out option may leave many users feeling they have little control over their digital footprint.