How can products searched on work comp show up on personal phone's social media?

[Android Central Question]

Today at work, I searched specifically for wireless mic transmitter pack leg bands for the female talent in our news department (at B&H Photo), using Firefox on my work computer. I don't check personal email or social media on that system, and the only gmail account used on that computer is one specific to my department, which I've never logged in to from my phone.

Just now, I was scrolling through Instagram on my Galaxy S8, and I saw an add for that EXACT PRODUCT from B&H Photo in my feed!

I'm used to adds populating within one device from searches. But, how is this even possible. The two aren't even linked. Even when I charge my phone through the usb port on that computer I deny access to the device.

I'm trying to figure out logically how this info would find its way to my personal Instagram on another device.

 

[methodman89]

Signed into work wifi with your phone?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! You mentioned that the only "Gmail account" on your work computer is the department account -- are you specifically talking about the Gmail email account, or are you talking about the overall Google account? In other words, if you were to go to the main Google.com website on your work computer and looked at the user profile at the upper right, is it your personal Google account or your work Google account?

 

[JH365]

I rarely use the work wifi.

The google account is the work production account I created specifically for Google Drive. I've never logged into that account from my phone though.

The only possible link I can come up with is our Outlook work emails. I used that address to submit a question to the company for a live web chat. I do have that work outlook account linked to my gmail app. But, i never actually received an email from B&H either.

It seems like a stretch to me that a vendor's tracking cookie would communicate that information from Outlook to Gmail, and then populate adds in another app. But, I guess that's what they're designed for. To me, it's very overreaching.

 

[JH365]

Apparently a coworker had the same experience. They said that if you've ever logged into facebook on your work pc, which I did several months ago, that that stuff would follow you around.

 

[methodman89]

I rarely use the work wifi.

The google account is the work production account I created specifically for Google Drive. I've never logged into that account from my phone though.

The only possible link I can come up with is our Outlook work emails. I used that address to submit a question to the company for a live web chat. I do have that work outlook account linked to my gmail app. But, i never actually received an email from B&H either.

It seems like a stretch to me that a vendor's tracking cookie would communicate that information from Outlook to Gmail, and then populate adds in another app. But, I guess that's what they're designed for. To me, it's very overreaching.

Rarely means yes, at least once, correct?
All traffic through your phone passed through your work system.