Meta will now use your activity on other websites—including purchases and app usage—to personalize content in Facebook and Instagram feeds, expanding beyond its current ad-targeting practices.
Meta announced Tuesday it is broadening its use of off-platform data to customize feed content alongside its existing ad-serving operations.
The company already tracks user behavior across the web, including online purchases and gaming activity, to target advertisements. This expansion applies the same data collection to personalize videos, posts, and other content users see on Facebook and Instagram, as well as AI-generated responses.
In a blog post, Meta provided an example: if you recently purchased a tent online, you could see camping-related videos in your Reels feed. The company frames this as improving user experience by showing more relevant content.
Meta obtains this cross-site data through tracking pixels, cookies, and partnerships with other businesses that share user activity information. The company has long relied on this off-platform tracking for advertising purposes, but integrating it into general feed personalization marks a significant expansion of where this data is applied.
The move reflects Meta's broader strategy of leveraging user data across its platforms and services. As the company invests heavily in AI-powered features, personalization becomes central to how its systems generate recommendations and responses.
Users have limited control over this tracking. While Meta provides some privacy settings, opting out entirely is difficult without using specialized browser tools or privacy extensions. The company does not currently offer a straightforward way for users to disable off-platform tracking for feed personalization specifically.
This announcement comes as tech companies face ongoing scrutiny over data collection practices. Regulators in Europe and the United States continue examining how platforms use personal information, and privacy advocates have repeatedly criticized Meta's data practices.
Meta did not specify an exact implementation timeline but indicated the feature will roll out to users.
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