Are Targeted Social Media Adverts Adding to Your Grief?
How to avoid unnecessary feelings of unease from targeted ads.
Posted October 14, 2025 | Reviewed by Margaret Foley
A recently published article on the BBC website discusses how women who have suffered a miscarriage become upset and stressed by baby ads on social media . This is the result of having targeted adverts based on people’s previous pregnancy -related searches. After finding out that they are pregnant, it is all too common for women (and the men in their lives) to search the web for information related to their pregnancy. Thus, algorithms identify people who are pregnant, and targeted adverts can be sent to those they think are relevant.
The BBC article provides some great insight into why social media users can be vulnerable to targeted adverts and provides a good opportunity to think about this from a holistic social media perspective, especially as there are also other categories of people who find targeted ads upsetting, such as those with addictions or food-related issues. It has even been found that as many as 86 percent of online users find that seeing too many ads on a web page generally makes them feel overwhelmed.
Social media—a means to tackle grief
It is not uncommon that people take to social media in the hope that it will have a therapeutic effect. For many, it becomes a platform for sharing their experience with those who have experienced something similar. It can also be seen as a means to cope with grief . However, there does not seem to be any clear research evidence to support that this works. A negative and often difficult life event, such as a miscarriage, is often associated with higher risks of depression and anxiety , and the risk of depression is further increased when there is also a low degree of social support. Hence, seeking out social support online may work, but this will depend on whether a suitable social support is provided.
Take time out from social media
Although the research is complex, some research suggests that social media use may be linked to greater odds of having an anxiety disorder. Bearing this in mind, it should be considered whether taking to social media for support when experiencing a difficult time in your life is a good idea. If you are already experiencing downheartedness, depression, or anxiety, and then couple it with an online social media environment, it may lead to further feelings of unease.
As research suggests that taking a break from social media can be good for you, it may be that, at a time of vulnerability, it is better to take a step away from it. Avoiding social media for even just one week can lead to improvements in well-being, depression, and anxiety. It can even lead to improved sleep quality . Furthermore, taking a break may help people to seek out real-life social support, which has been found to be more beneficial than online support. And it will also keep you at a distance from upsetting targeted adverts.
How to deal with unwanted targeted ads?
If you really don’t want to stay off social media, then it is worth doing what you can to reduce or avoid the unwanted ads. Here are a few things you can do:
For the real tech-savvy, there are other things you can do that may be worth exploring. However, whatever you do, it is worth noting that it will take a while (possibly even years) to see any real difference. But if you stick with it, it will eventually become better.
Is this so different from what happened in the past?
Advertising has, since the 1950s, been part of everyday Western society. Whilst adverts are now often online and can be targeted based on clever algorithms, it is in fact not all that different from what happened in the past. I remember signing up for a "baby club" at a supermarket years ago, and they kept sending me advertising materials through the letter box for years, even though I had informed them that it was no longer relevant. As a consumer psychologist, I have always found that advertising can be a contentious topic. But as long as it is part of our society, perhaps there should be a bigger policy-related conversation around how advertising should be included in our everyday lives, as this is more likely to lead to suitable protection for those who are consuming social media and continuously exposed to targeted adverts.
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Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, Ph.D., is a Consumer Psychologist based at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.