The microphone also explains this. I keep a tight reign on which permissions I give apps. I rarely get accurately targeted ads. Last week I suddenly noticed that the ads I was seeing on Facebook were matching the conversations I'd had that day. I immediately knew an app had been eavesdropping on me. Turns out I had given Instagram microphone and camera permission "while the app is in use" earlier in the day to try out an Instagram feature I was curious about, and forgot to turn it off. Even though I wasn't using the camera or mic intentionally, Instagram was still spying on me. This really should be illegal behavior by apps.

How long does the app stay in use? I have insta installed (for a business that I’m slacking on) and I open it about once a month for roughly 1 minute. Maybe I should just uninstall and reinstall it each time I need to use it.

Following up to myself: I just realized that the Background App Refresh setting for each app is a permission that you don't get prompted for. It was enabled on my phone for loads of apps. Why isn't there a prompt for this?

It was probably a coincidence or the targeted ad simply was accurate.

> I talk about something nerby my iphone and then relevant ads appear in the internet browser on the device

How do I stop this?

You can't stop it, because it isn't happening to begin with.

This is verifiably a real thing (see last 2 paragraphs). You will need to disable microphone access wherever you do not require it, even on your TV.

Windows: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/turn-on-app-perm...

macOS: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/control-access-to-t...

iPhone: https://www.knowyourmobile.com/user-guides/how-to-stop-your-...

Android: https://www.lifewire.com/turn-off-microphone-on-android-5184...

TV: tape over the microphones and disable wifi (as some will connect to any open wifi nearby without informing you)

Assistants: not possible, simply don't use Alexa, Hey Google, Cortana, etc.

Browsers: Go into "Privacy" settings of your browers, generally you can select "always deny" with exceptions where you need them.

Other: security cameras (e.g. Nest), doorbells, etc. there is little you can do as you have opted-in to being recorded.

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Microphone use in advertising has been openly marketed by adtech companies for over 10 years. For example, beginning in 2012 Shazam listens for commercials around you and then faciliates concurrently displaying the same advert on your personal device to make sure you saw it. Disabling "always listen" in Shazam might mitigate this. https://www.marketingweek.com/shazam-that-ad/

Listening services can make elite money, so they're common now in places you don't suspect. One big earner is linking a commercial heard (TV, Spotify, movie theater, etc.) to a purchase made, so listeners keep a record that you heard something. For example, they can confirm a "convertion" (payout) if your phone's bluetooth/wifi/etc IDs show's up at Gap store after seeing a Gap ad on TV -- even better if it's linked to your Mastercard/VISA data showing a purchase. That data could be the difference between an adtech company (e.g. Google, AT&T, Adobe, Meta, Amazon) getting paid $0.001 vs $10 for placing an ad in front of you.

Edit: legibility, typo