You can prevent Instagram from using tracking data to sell you products

There’s a reason why when you search for a product on another website or app, you end up seeing an ad for it on your Instagram feed. Instagram lets you track your activities, even when you’re not using it. Third-party companies share information with Meta, Instagram’s parent company, to make their advertising campaigns more effective. They may use a tracking tool called Meta Pixel on websites and in apps, which sends metadata about your activities, including viewing a product page, adding an item to your cart, or making a purchase.

Until now, the data collected by the tracking pixel only applied to advertisements, but it will be used more widely in Meta services. In a June 2026 blog post, Meta announced that it would begin using this data to “personalize other parts of your experience, including the content you see in your feed and AI responses.” This change is expected to roll out in the United States and several other countries in July 2026.

This means that if you’re looking for the best mini gadgets for camping on a site that uses Meta Pixel tracking, you might see a post in your Instagram feed or Reel about a power bank or mini air pump. Meta AI may even mention these products when you ask it about camping gear in your Instagram DMs. Fortunately, you can ask Instagram not to use this data to personalize the advertising and non-advertising content you see.

While you can tell Instagram not to use the data it collects from third parties to personalize the content you see, it’s important to remember that websites and apps can still track your activity using Meta Pixel. Businesses can use the data provided by the tool to improve advertising performance and optimize experiences to increase sales, among other things. It’s not just about personalizing the content you see on Meta Services. What Meta allows you to do here is prevent tracking data from affecting the content you see on Instagram.

To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Instagram app.

2. Press the profile picture icon in the lower right corner of the screen.

3. Press the three lines icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

4. Faucet Account Center below Your account.

5. Faucet Your information and authorizations.

6. Faucet Activity of other companies.

7. Select Do not allow us to use this activity to show you relevant content.

8. Faucet Confirm.