You may have seen the viral video of the couple talking about “cat food” while their Facebook (FB) app was opened. Days later, even though they didn’t own a cat or have purchased cat food before, they started seeing cat food advertisements on their FB feed.

FB was quick to deny the claim, saying they only use the microphone on your cell if you give it permission, “Facebook does not use your phone’s microphone to inform ads or to change what you see in News Feed,” they said in an official statement.

If you are concerned about FB recording what you say, the first step is turning off the microphone for the app. When we download apps, a lot of the time we give permissions without even knowing we did it. FB is no different, and chances are the mic is turned on within the settings.

If you have an iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone.

Let’s assume FB doesn’t record what you say, they still are tracking everything you do on the platform for remarketing services. That’s the case for all of your Internet browsing, as “follow me ads” will appear on FB based on your search history.

Your real concern should be your phone as a whole, as calls, emails and simple conversations can be (and a lot of the times, are) recorded and stored in massive server farms.

If you are concerned about the security of your phone, network or business, call the security experts at MAXtech for a free consultation. Doesn’t hurt to get a no-cost assessment so you know the status of your security: 614-401-8800.