Archive · 28 Jan 2026
Two-Thirds of Indians Fear Ads Triggered by Private Conversations
A recent survey in India found that many people think their private talks are making ads appear on their phones.
Almost 70% of people noticed ads for things they only talked about, not searched for.
This has made people worried about their privacy.
Many apps have permission to use the phone's microphone and contacts, which might be why this is happening.
Some people even give all apps access to their microphone.
The survey also found that ads appear after talking about products in text messages.
Big companies like Meta are being fined and told to be more transparent about how they use people's data.
People want to make sure their private conversations stay private.
67% of Indian smartphone users believe their private conversations influence the ads they see online.
82% of users have granted microphone access to apps, up from 71% four years ago.
89% of users have shared their contacts with WhatsApp, raising privacy concerns for both users and their contacts.
76% of respondents received ads after discussing products through text messages.
Meta was fined Rs 213.14 crore by India's Competition Commission for anti-competitive practices related to WhatsApp's privacy policy.
- Who
- Indian smartphone users
- What
- Privacy concerns over ads triggered by private conversations
- When
- Survey conducted recently, with data showing an increase from four years ago
- Where
- India
- Why
- Due to the perceived influence of private conversations on online advertisements and the wide permissions granted to mobile applications
- Survey Conducted By
- LocalCircles
- Percentage of Users Noticing Ads After Verbal Discussions
- 67%
- Percentage of Users Granting Microphone Access to Apps
- 82%
- Percentage of Users Sharing Contacts with WhatsApp
- 89%
- Percentage of Users Receiving Ads After Text Discussions
- 76%
- Fine Imposed on Meta by CCI
- Rs 213.14 crore
- Year of India's Digital Personal Data Protection Rules
- 2025