Instagram head says company is not using your microphone to listen to you (with AI data, it won’t need to)

The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has denied the persistent rumor that the platform uses the microphone on users' phones to listen in on their conversations. Mosseri emphasized that the company does not engage in such covert surveillance practices. The article points out that the notion of Meta (Instagram's parent company) secretly activating microphones to monitor users is a longstanding conspiracy theory, which the company has refuted before. Mosseri's statement reaffirms the company's stance that it does not employ such tactics. Furthermore, the article suggests that with advancements in AI-powered data analysis, companies like Meta may not even need to rely on audio recordings to gather insights about users' interests and behaviors. The article implies that the company can leverage other data sources, such as online activity and interactions, to gain similar insights without resorting to audio surveillance.