Is Threads’ Data Collection as Bad as Is Being Reported?
The social media platform Threads is being hailed as Twitter’s competitor, but is it safe to use? Let’s delve into Threads' privacy policy, and determine whether it’s as bad as some say.
What Is Threads?
Meta’s new social media app Threadslaunched on July 6, 2023, and quickly becamea main competitor to Twitter. This app lets you post text posts, images, and videos, as well as like, share, and reply to other posts. You can also follow and directly message other users on Threads.
To use Threads, one must link their Instagram account.
Threads' Privacy Policy
Threads' privacy policy has been a point of focus since its launch, with many looking to determine whether it’s truly safe to use.
Threads' privacy policy, which states what kind of information the app collects, can be found in the Instagram Help Center. The list of gathered data includes:
Within the Threads app, users are provided with a list of collected data, as shown in the Tweet below.
In fact, many have already called Threads' data collection policies unsafe. But let’s break down the app’s collection policy to determine whether this is true.
1. User Activity
Firstly, Threads collects information on your in-app activity, including the content you post, view, and interact with. How you interact with content, as well as metadata about your content, is also collected.
This is further expanded upon inMeta’s own privacy policy. Meta states that it also logs the ads you interact with, the features you use, and the content you record via your camera roll.
But what about your direct messages?
Meta claims to collect the messages you send and receive on its apps, including Threads. Additionally, Meta collects any content you provide via its voice-enabled features and takes note of how much time you spend on its apps.
2. Profile Information
The profile information Threads collects includes your name, email address, and settings preferences. Threads also states:
As your Threads profile is part of your Instagram account, some of your Threads profile information is provided from or managed by your Instagram account, such as your name and username.
The link between Threads and Instagram is something to note here, as neither account is isolated from the other if you have both.
3. Third-Party Information
As a preface to this section of the privacy policy, Threads writes:
Because Threads is part of Instagram, we also use information about your profile, activity and followers and connections on Instagram. For example, we may suggest Threads profiles for you to follow if you already follow them on Instagram.
And if you interact with the app via a third-party service (such as following Threads users or interacting with Threads content), information about your third-party account and profile will be collected. This includes your username, profile picture, and IP address.
For example, if you have a Threads account, and log into it via another app, such as your browser, then data will still be collected on you.
4. App, Browser, and Device Information
In this section of the privacy policy, Threads states that it will “collect and receive information from and about the different devices you use and how you use them”. This somewhat confusing sentence is further expanded upon in the Meta Privacy Policy.
Meta claims that the device information collected includes:
Clearly, there’s a lot that Meta collects here. Some of the above pointers are particularly concerning, such as location-related information even when location sharing is disabled on your device.
This location-related information includes your IP address and your city of residence that you provide upon sign-up. Your current location is also recorded, which Meta justifies by stating that this is done to personalize and improve its products, including the ads shown to you. It’s further collected to pick up on suspicious activity and secure your account.
Be that as it may, collecting location data despite the deactivation of location sharing is concerning.
How Does Threads Share Your Data?
Threads states in its privacy policy that data—like posts, likes and replies—is shared publicly and with third-party services.
Certain information is also shared publicly by Threads, including name, username, profile picture, and bio.
Should You Use Threads?
All social media apps come with risks and drawbacks, and the apps you’re using right now are probably collecting all sorts of data about you. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter are all known to do this.
But despite this clear trend, the extent to which Threads collects data should still be acknowledged by users. This degree of collection is higher than some outlets, like Twitter, but pretty much the same as other outlets, like Instagram (also owned by Meta).
If you’ve already installed Threads, youcan’t delete your account without deleting Instagram, too. The app can be deleted in isolation, but the account itself will remain. However, you candeactivate your Threads account temporarily.
Threads' Privacy Policy Is Troubling
Your in-app activity, current location, device information, and more: Threads collects all sorts of data from its users. But social media apps are notorious for this, so it’s always wise to vet your apps' privacy policies to see exactly what they know about you.
Here’s all you need to know about creating a Threads account and getting started on the Meta app.
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