Ad-tech; Is someone listening you all the time?

Innovation and breakthrough technology is key to success in fast paced advertising world. Every ad-tech player is trying to build a technology for the next generation and decades to come.

Digital media is where you can see and measure results effectively compared to offline media. Giants like Google, Facebook and others have been constantly transforming their technologies for better personalised ad experience which will allow brands and performance advertisers better target users and make maximum out of it at the same time generating $$$ profits. But wait, is it at a cost of USERS PRIVACY & DATA?

The plain simple answer would be "NO", and rules for users privacy has to be same across the globe, recently WhatsApp updated their privacy policy which resulted in hundreds of thousands of users speaking about privacy of and secrecy of users data. Elon Musk, and other greats also shown great discomfort regarding #WhatsApp next steps on or after 8th Feb, 2021 how WhatsApp AKA Facebook would like to store, collect and use their billions of users data. By now, we all know role of our devices microphones in digital advertising :P

Now, let me share an eye opening story here.

• I've already deactivated my #Facebook account almost 1.5 years ago
• I have a very fresh < a month old #Instagram account with almost 5 minutes/day activity and 100% 0 interest, intent and search towards any activities (will talk on this shortly).
• I never had any activities for the targeted ads by Insta aka FB on my any devices across the network. (any network, career, platform)

Then here's what have happened; I had a #WhatsApp call with one of my friend yesterday and while casual discussion we spoke about "Canada PR" and right after I hung up the call, when I opened insta in next couple hours. I was targeted with ads "Migrate to Canada" "Canada PR" "Work and Settle in Canada".

Initially I was surprised but thought a lot on it; while I was trying to sleep and thinking what did I do recently, I found the only activity I did was speaking to my friend on a WhatsApp call regarding Canada PR. Now the thing is how Insta Aka FB got to know what did I discuss with my friend and how they have targeted me while I'm being in Thailand and most importantly the company which offers the immigration services to move to Canada is in my home country and home city, Ahmedabad - India which I haven't been for almost 1 year +. Another strong reason about why I am 100% sure is, we had a whatsapp call on Indian numbers and were speaking in Gujarati and hence FB targeted with me the company who deals in India and majorly helps Indians, and Gujarati community to migrate to Canada. In order to better record incident, I actually inquired with my contact details, so it's stored in the advertiser's database as well as FB's database. Well today I was again, targeted by another advertiser of my home country city on the same context (I think this is okay, as I have already inquired about moving myself to Canada now or may be FB feels I will be better in Canada :D). Nopes, I am happy being in Thailand and love it :)

Another SS of an ad served.

One of my friend also reported similar incident to me last week "when he's speaking with his friend over WhatsApp audio call, about some "specific" company and immediately he saw ad of that "specific" company on instagram"

If the laws are there to protect users data, and privacy why isn't consistent across the globe; FB has double standards for Europe and countries in South Asia and SEA. It's time they think about their users first and $$$ second. Different continents, different rules and again mislead the people by fancy communications in full page newspaper ads.

Users will have alternative, #Signal is the best example with one BIG tweet and then word of mouth, which helped it became insanely popular. They are just speaking about privacy and having no interest in what their users are doing on their app.

In simple words: Choice is ours. Whether to share data or opt-out.

As a marketer, I would enjoy such a strong targeting capabilities but not as an avid user who never enjoys someone listening to conversation, data, private information, etc. This is a destructive technology transformation and may become Devil of the future.

If you have also come across similar incident while you're speaking something on WhatsApp audio call, and later targeted with advertising on the similar contexts, companies, etc. Share your thoughts in comments.

For now, bye bye WhatsApp on 8th Feb, it was fun to use you :)

Note: Views experessed in this article are my personal and based on recent exeperiences which are only opposing such destructive technologies and not any company or individuals.