The world of advertising and content targeting, especially on social media, is a complex but also lucrative world.

And it is no secret that Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, is at the top of “this race”, although TikTok is moving forward and users of this application tend to spend more.

However, there are many cases of people wondering if Facebook has the ability to read minds or secretly spy on its users.

Most people have even had the terrifying experience of talking to a friend about something and then seeing ads or content appearing on their Facebook or Instagram pages a few moments later.

And while it can never be completely ruled out that smartphone apps can eavesdrop on your conversations through your phone microphone, Meta sophisticated technology is probably the ‘most likely culprit’.

But how do ‘targeted ads’ work and how do they make users think Facebook knows what they are thinking?

Here’s a quick glance at the seemingly ‘mind-reading’ technology of those on Facebook.

How does Facebook collect your data?

The most direct way for Facebook to collect user data is on the web.

When someone creates a Facebook account, they accept the company’s ‘privacy policy’, which in itself enables the collection of legal data.

This includes names and dates of birth, interaction with other users and shared groups, among others.

It is important to note here that Facebook’s web tracking extends beyond the website; The social media giant’s tracking capabilities apply to a large number of online destinations.

In addition, smartphones are a godsend for companies interested in data collection, especially thanks to device sensors that generate a wealth of useful information on a daily basis.

For example, the Facebook app can record Wi-Fi networks that users connect to, phone type, locations, installed apps, and more.

And tracking on mobile devices is not limited to Facebook and other first-party Meta apps.

He collaborates with many companies, which collect user data through their respective applications and then share them with Facebook.

What does Facebook do with your data?

Meta basically collects and organizes thousands of data to learn about its users and ‘to target buyers’.

As the amount of user data increases, Facebook improves the accuracy of these ‘digital fraudsters’ and is able to make increasingly accurate predictions.

These can range from favorite restaurants to clothing brands and much more.

These predictions are often helpful and can help users save time, but some people find it ‘intrusive and disturbing’.

In fact, Meta’s targeted advertising technology gives some people the feeling that the social media firm is reading their minds.

Indeed, this is the power of data-driven predictions.

However, it is probably no exaggeration to say that social media giants now – or at least their algorithms – know more about users than they do themselves.

To go even further, it can be estimated that the line between ‘prediction and manipulation’ is thin.

This was also highlighted by a 2021 investigation by the MIT Technology Review that revealed how Facebook was used to enable global political manipulation.