Usually the other way around is the case. For example, you text a friend "I'm thinking about buying a bike' and you start getting ads everywhere about bikes and

Usually the other way around is the case. For example, you text a friend "I'm thinking about buying a bike' and you start getting ads everywhere about bikes and motorcycles and such. WhatsApp messages say they are encrypted but if that kind of thing gets out and is sold to advertisers, one can presume its not very private. I guess some lawyer at Meta got creative, saw this as defensible in court and now selling phone numbers wholesale is a standard practice from now on. I hope not.