You're scrolling through Facebook. You see a Reel about camping gear. You didn't search for it. You didn't like any camping posts. But two days ago, you bought a tent on an outdoor retailer's website.
Coincidence? Not anymore — and Meta just made it official.
Starting next month, Meta — the company behind Facebook and Instagram — is expanding how it uses information it receives from other businesses to shape your experience on its platforms. And this time, it goes well beyond ads.
What's Actually Changing
For years, businesses have been quietly sharing data about your activity with Meta. When you shop online, sign up for a newsletter, download an app, or make a purchase, there's a good chance that company is sending some version of that information back to Facebook. Meta has used that data to target you with ads.
That part isn't new. What's new is what Meta plans to do with it going forward.
Starting in July 2026, Meta will use that same off-site data — the information it receives from other websites and apps — to personalize not just your ads, but everything you see. The posts in your feed. The Reels that appear. The content Instagram surfaces for you. And perhaps most significantly, the responses you receive from Meta's AI chatbot.
In other words, what you do outside of Facebook is now going to shape everything you experience inside it.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Most people have a rough idea that Facebook uses their data for ads. What very few people realize is just how much information about them is already flowing between other websites, apps, and Meta — completely in the background, without any obvious notification.
Every time you make a purchase online, the retailer may be sharing that with Meta. Every time you sign up for a service, that company may have a data-sharing agreement with Facebook you never knew about. Every app you use may be reporting your activity back to Meta's network.
Until now, that data shaped the ads in the sidebar. From next month, it shapes your entire experience — including what an AI tells you when you ask it a question.
That's a meaningful shift. And the default setting is opt in, meaning if you do nothing, this expanded personalization happens automatically.
What Meta Says
Meta is clear that no new data is being collected. They're not gathering anything they didn't have before. They're simply expanding what they do with data they've had all along. They also point out that users can control this through a privacy setting — and that if you choose not to allow it, your feed will still be personalized, just based on your activity within Meta's own platforms rather than your behavior across the wider internet.
They've also updated the name of the setting. What used to be called "Your activity off Meta technologies" is being retired. The new setting is called "Activity from other businesses" — and it's the one you need to find and review.
Why This Also Matters for Businesses
If your business uses Facebook or Instagram — for marketing, advertising, or simply maintaining a presence — this change affects you on two levels.
First, as a user. The personal accounts of everyone on your team are subject to this expanded data use. Employees who use Facebook on work devices or who have business-related activity tied to their personal accounts may find that information being used to shape what they see — and what Meta's AI tells them.
Second, as a business that may share customer data with Meta. If your company runs Facebook ads and uses customer lists or website tracking to target those ads, your customers' data is part of this expanded system. It's worth understanding what you're sharing, with whom, and what it's now being used for.
Where People Are Most Exposed
The default is always opt in — Meta assumes you're fine with expanded personalization unless you specifically say otherwise. Most people never change default settings.
The setting has been renamed — if you previously adjusted the old "Your activity off Meta technologies" setting, that setting is going away. You'll need to find and configure the new one.
The scope is broader than ads — this isn't just about seeing a different ad. It's about AI responses, feed content, and the overall picture of who Meta thinks you are based on your behavior across the entire internet.
Business pages and personal accounts are both affected — if you manage a Facebook business page from a personal account, your personal data and your business activity are both part of this picture.
What You Should Do Right Now
- Open Facebook or Instagram and go to Settings. Look for the option called "Activity from other businesses" and review how it's configured. You can limit Meta's ability to use off-site data for feed and AI personalization from this setting.
- While you're in settings, check which apps and websites are connected to your Facebook account under "Apps and Websites." You may be surprised at how many have access — and how many you've forgotten about. Remove anything you don't recognize or no longer use.
- If your business runs Facebook or Instagram ads, review what data you're sharing with Meta through pixel tracking, customer lists, or ad partner integrations. Make sure your privacy policy accurately reflects how customer data is used.
- Talk to your team. Employees who use Facebook personally and professionally should know this change is happening and understand how to review their own settings.
- Make privacy setting reviews a regular habit — not just a one-time fix. These settings change, get renamed, and get reset. Checking them once a year takes five minutes and keeps you in control.
The Bottom Line
Meta isn't doing anything illegal, and they are giving you a way to manage this. But the burden is on you to find the setting, understand it, and change it — because the default works in Meta's favor, not yours. What you buy, where you browse, and what apps you use outside of Facebook is now officially part of the formula that shapes everything you see inside it — including what an AI tells you.
Five minutes in your privacy settings today puts you back in control. Don't wait until next month when the change quietly takes effect.