Meta to use your conversations with AI chatbot for ads beginning December 16
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has announced that it will start using your conversations with AI chatbots to shape the ads on its platforms starting December 16.
According to Meta, its AI tools, including chatbots and virtual assistants, will be analysed to personalise your advertising experience.
However, for many Kenyans and users globally, the move is raising concerns about how much ‘big tech’ is ‘listening in’ and accessing private data.
“Imagine I ask the AI for relationship advice, and then I start seeing ads for couples’ therapy, or even dating apps, that’s a bit too close for comfort,” said Moraa Otieno, a Nairobi-based digital marketer. “We’re talking to a bot, not placing an order.”
How it will work
Meta’s new system will use what you search or say in AI chats, such as inquiries about visa requirements, shopping and health tips, to fine-tune the ads you see on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and even WhatsApp statuses.
The AI might not share your name or store exact quotes, but your interests, preferences, and behaviour will inform Meta’s algorithms, meaning more ads based on your personal conversations.
Can you opt out?
Meta has said users will receive in-app notifications about the change and will be able to adjust their ad settings. But here is the catch: you cannot stop the data from being collected if you continue using Meta AI. The only real opt-out is to stop using the AI assistant completely.
“That’s not a real choice,” said Charles Mwaniki, a digital expert. “It does not make any sense if I have to abandon the service to protect my privacy; then what consent are we really talking about?”
This policy may hit headwinds in countries such as Germany, France, and even Kenya, where, under the Data Protection Act, the use of private chat data for ads requires clear, informed consent.
“AI conversations are gold for advertisers,” Mwaniki said. “They’re unfiltered, personal, and often more honest than what you post publicly. We’re losing control of our digital privacy, one feature at a time. We need laws with teeth.”
