Meta, the tech behemoth behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is once again at the center of a heated debate about privacy and digital advertising. On October 8, 2025, the company announced a sweeping change: interactions with its Meta AI chatbot will now be used as a new data signal to personalize advertising content, supplementing the trove of information already gleaned from users’ posts, clicks, and social connections. This move, detailed by CNN and other outlets, marks a pivotal shift in how social media platforms leverage artificial intelligence and user data to drive their business models.
The scale of Meta’s AI ecosystem is staggering. As of October 2025, Meta AI boasts about one billion monthly users across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and its standalone apps. With this massive user base, the company’s latest policy could reshape the personalized advertising landscape for billions worldwide. In the most recent quarter, Meta’s advertising revenue soared to $46.5 billion, a 21% increase from the same period last year, lifting its market capitalization to a jaw-dropping $1.8 trillion. Industry observers, as reported by CNN, see these moves as Meta’s attempt to shore up its competitive position as rivals like OpenAI expand their own AI-powered commerce services.
So, what’s changing? Previously, Meta’s algorithms inferred user interests by analyzing indirect signals—liking a travel post, for example, might suggest someone’s fondness for adventure. Now, the company is shifting to what experts call “direct intent data.” If a user chats with Meta AI about buying hiking shoes, that explicit statement becomes a powerful data point, allowing Meta to target ads with unprecedented precision. “Similar to other personalized services, we adjust ads and content based on user activity to ensure the experience continually evolves with their interests,” Meta explained in its announcement. “In the future, AI interactions will become an additional signal to help us improve this experience.”
For Meta, the commercial upside is clear. Direct intent data eliminates guesswork, offering advertisers a goldmine of actionable information. Imagine a user who frequently discusses pets with the chatbot; soon, that person might notice a surge in pet product ads on Instagram, especially as Meta’s new “Vibes” feed—replacing the old Discover feature—serves up AI- and user-generated videos tailored to these interests. The result? Ads that feel eerily relevant, delivered at just the right moment.
But this leap in personalization comes at a steep price for user privacy, and that trade-off is sparking controversy. According to Tuổi Trẻ, many users see AI chatbots as private sanctuaries—places to vent about relationships, seek health advice, or even pursue therapy. The prospect of these intimate conversations being mined for commercial gain leaves some feeling surveilled, undermining the trust that underpins social media engagement. As one analysis put it, “Meta’s decision touches directly on the boundary between convenience and privacy, especially when users have come to regard AI conversations as a personal space.”
The privacy dilemma is compounded by Meta’s approach to user consent. The new policy applies a default opt-in for AI chat data use, offering no opt-out option. Users who wish to keep their chats private must either stop using Meta AI altogether or accept that their data will be tracked. This lack of control is a major sticking point for critics, who argue that it erodes individual autonomy and forces self-censorship. “The biggest change in privacy is Meta’s move from collecting indirect data to direct intent data,” Tuổi Trẻ notes. “Previously, the platform only inferred user interests. Now, conversations with AI give Meta direct knowledge of real needs.”
Meta, for its part, has tried to allay concerns. The company insists it will not exploit AI conversation data related to religion, sexual orientation, political views, health, ethnicity, or personal philosophy. Users can still shape their ad experience through the “ad preferences” tool, adjusting which topics they see on Facebook and Instagram. In response to earlier backlash—when private chats about sensitive topics were inadvertently made public—Meta introduced warnings before users share AI chatbot conversations, aiming to prevent unintentional disclosures.
Yet, even with these safeguards, risks remain. Contextual errors by AI systems can blur the line between general and sensitive information. For instance, if a user frequently inquires about a specific medication, the system might infer a health condition and deliver related ads—despite Meta’s pledges not to target sensitive topics. As Tuổi Trẻ warns, “Although Meta promises not to use sensitive topics for personalized ads, there is still a risk from contextual errors in AI analysis. The system might infer personal states and suggest harmful content or ads if not sophisticated enough.”
This tension between business innovation and privacy protection is hardly unique to Meta, but the scale and visibility of its changes make it a bellwether for the tech industry. OpenAI, for example, has launched direct purchasing features through ChatGPT, though it has not yet ventured into advertising. Meta’s move, then, is both a competitive response and a test case for how far users are willing to trade privacy for convenience.
Industry analysts are divided. Some argue that Meta’s embrace of AI-driven advertising is a logical evolution—one that could improve user experience by making ads more relevant and less intrusive. Others see it as a dangerous step back for digital privacy, especially given the lack of granular user controls and the potential for misuse of highly sensitive data. “This business model marks a significant step forward commercially but a step back for digital privacy protections,” Tuổi Trẻ concludes.
The stakes are high. If Meta can maintain transparency and robust safeguards, it may succeed in balancing personalization with privacy. But if users feel their trust has been betrayed, the backlash could be fierce—and lasting. For now, the world is watching to see whether convenience or confidentiality will win out in the age of AI-powered advertising.
