Meta has announced that it will begin using data from user interactions with its AI products, including the Meta AI chatbot, to inform its targeted advertising across Facebook and Instagram. The company is updating its privacy policy to reflect this change, which will take effect by December 16, creating a significant new data stream for its powerful advertising engine.
A New Stream of Ad Data
Meta’s core business relies on building detailed user profiles for hyper-targeted ads, and interactions with its AI will now add a new layer to this data. The policy change is not limited to text-based chats with Meta AI. It also applies to data from other AI features, including voice recordings, pictures, and videos analyzed through its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, the AI video feed Vibes, and the image generator Imagine. For example, a user who chats with Meta AI about hiking could subsequently see advertisements for hiking equipment on their Facebook or Instagram feeds. According to the company, sensitive topics such as health, religion, and political views will not be used for ad targeting.
Policy Changes and User Control
The updated privacy policy will be applied globally, with notable exceptions for users in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, where stringent privacy laws prevent this form of data collection. For users in other regions, there will be no way to opt out of having their AI interaction data used for advertising purposes. While Meta states it has no immediate plans to place ads directly within its AI products, this move represents a clear strategy to monetize its AI offerings by enhancing the value and precision of its existing ad business.
Implications for the MENA Region
This policy update has significant ramifications for users and advertisers in the Middle East and North Africa. As a key market for Meta’s family of apps, the MENA region falls outside the jurisdictions with prohibitive privacy regulations like GDPR. Consequently, users across MENA will be subject to this new form of data collection. For regional advertisers and startups, this development unlocks more granular and powerful targeting capabilities, allowing them to reach consumers based on explicitly stated interests and intentions shared with Meta’s AI. This could lead to more effective ad campaigns but also heightens the regional conversation around data privacy and the extent to which user data is leveraged by major tech platforms.
About Meta
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. The company’s products, which include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Meta Quest, are aimed at bringing the world closer together through immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality.
Source: TechCrunch
