Ok let me start with this...I am in no way shape or form a conspiracy theorist....I would fall on the side of "I hate conspiracy theorists".....
This question is as "old as time" but maybe this is finally the right platform to get to the bottom of this. Everyone has examples of discussing a product out loud and then ads popping up for them shortly after while on some form of social media platform. But can our phones really hear our conversations and use them to create targeted ads? Everyone says "no, it comes from your demographic profile and search history"...However, I call BS.
For example: yesterday I was complaining about the price of contacts with my neighbor who does not wear contacts/glasses, etc....Shortly after she received a targeted ad for contacts....EVERYONE HAS STORIES LIKE THIS!
Any B2C or Marketing people here that can confirm what we have all suspected for so long?
I think it's just confirmation bias. Next time you're on the phone, take a look at some of the ads you get. 99% of them are NOT for things you've been talking about. You could have been served ads for contacts for months and you just didn't notice them, it just so happens that you're talking about contacts that you notice that ad.