this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2024
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Privacy
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this is the real answer. unless you gave the app a bunch of permissions it shouldn't have, they cannot see what you do/say in matrix. but they don't need to. you willingly feed them enough information through location/posts/comments/private messages/friends/contacts/+a very long list of things for them you figure out your interests and serve you tailored ads.
I'm not so sure. I'm interested in this thread because I had a recent issue like this. I barely use Instagram, hadn't booted the app for a month or something, only have it to support my SO's art account. Never comment/DM, just likes. Had a lengthy in person conversation about tattoos and the idea of getting them at current location. I didnt do any searches on my phone or any other device for that matter. Don't have any tattoos, or ever look at that content on insta (only follow art and wildlife photography accounts). Booted up Instagram that day and was getting purely adverts for local tattoos studios on my feed. Checked my permissions, all disabled. The only explanation I have is that it's somehow still listening. That can't possibly be a coincidence.
or the other person participating in the conversation had looked them up.
I had considered that, but that would mean they are collating and amalgamating data coming from a single IP, which is almost as bad as listening to my microphone. Both are data gathering without my permission.
lol no shit. of course they're aggregating location data, this is how, among other examples, some therapists ended up having their patients recommended as Facebook friends in the past.
if they see someone being frequently in the same location you are and at the same time you are, they will leverage your relationship to serve you ads based on their (and, presumed by the algorithm, shared to some extent) interests.
Well how do you combat that if you are in a household or shared network with others who aren't privacy conscious?
without them changing their habits? you don't.
Or connect to a VPN all the time so you appears "not in the same netowork." Still, being an app menas it can just collect the WiFi name and cell tower ID to map our your social connections.