Meta has announced a major update to how it personalizes content on Facebook and Instagram. The company confirmed it will begin using data shared by third-party websites and applications to tailor not only advertisements, but also content recommendations and AI-generated responses.
According to an official company announcement, the initiative aims to deliver a more relevant user experience by leveraging data already sent to Meta by corporate partners. Previously, off-platform activity was primarily used to target advertisements. Following this update, external user behavior—such as making an online purchase or using specific apps—will directly influence content displayed across main feeds, Reels, and Meta AI interactions.
For example, purchasing a camping tent on a retail website could result in more outdoor, travel, and nature videos appearing on a user’s feed.
Meta spokesperson, Emil Vazquez noted that content personalization previously relied almost exclusively on in-app signals, such as likes, comments, views, and followed accounts. This update expands the utility of existing data streams rather than collecting new categories of information.
In tandem with these changes, Meta is unifying its privacy controls. Users will now be able to manage how their off-platform data is used for ads, recommendations, and AI features in a single location. Those who wish to opt out can deactivate the “Activity from Other Companies” setting, which prevents partner data from influencing their feeds and AI responses.
The rollout will occur globally, though several regions are temporarily excluded from the initial phase. These include the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Korea, South Africa, Nigeria, Ecuador, Thailand, and various nations within the European Union. Consequently, users in these markets will not be immediately affected.
While privacy advocates are expected to renew debates surrounding data collection transparency, Meta views the integration as a vital step toward making its ecosystem more intuitive and contextually aware of user interests outside its proprietary applications.
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