Instagram 101: How You Can Protect Your Privacy
Instagram, one of today’s biggest social media giants, has been at the center of several discussions regarding social media privacy throughout recent years. In order to stay and feel safe on the platform, users must understand what information Instagram collects and what the platform uses it for.
Understanding Instagram’s Privacy Policy
Instagram’s Privacy Policy expands on the extent of the platform’s data collection. It explains how the platform collects, uses, shares, retains and transfers information. In the Privacy Policy, users can read their rights on the platform as they relate to data and privacy.
What Information is Collected?
Instagram collects several pieces of information and data. Meant to enhance the user experience, Instagram collects data on the user’s activities within the platform. This includes user content, likes and comments, messages users send and receive, and the types of content users view and interact with. Additionally, information on hashtags, connected apps and additional features users use is collected. This information is meant to help Instagram suggest the best posts, topics, products, etc. for each individual user.
In addition to personal information on how a user interacts and engages within the platform, Instagram also collects information on the user’s personal devices, browsers and software. This information is meant to help Instagram provide a seamless user experience by ensuring the platform is compatible with a wide array of devices and browsers.
Still, there is some information that is protected and cannot be included within the platform’s data or be shared by Instagram. This includes information about the religious views, political views, sexual orientation, health, racial or ethnic origin and philosophical beliefs of its users. Based on the user’s location and the laws of their jurisdiction, there may be additional information that cannot be collected or shared.
Protecting Your Privacy on Instagram
There are several ways that users can protect their privacy on Instagram. These steps can be taken by visiting Instagram’s web version of the Privacy Center.
1. “Review Your Information” Feature
Users can choose to review their personal information in the Privacy Center. They will be asked to log into Instagram on the web and select what information on the app can be used to provide the optimal user experience. Not every user is comfortable with the platform analyzing their posts, likes, comments, shares, etc. Furthermore, it is important that users are aware that they can opt out of some data collection categories within the Privacy Center.
2. Download a Copy of “Your Data”
By downloading a copy of “Your Data” via the Instagram Privacy Center, users can see a full, transparent list of what information and data Instagram has collected and how it has been used. This list can be requested in a machine-readable HTML or JSON format.
Users can expect to receive their detailed report within 30 days. All reports are emailed to the email address linked to their account. Detailed steps on how to request “Your Data” can be found in the Instagram Help Center.
3. Adjust Ad Preferences
Instagram shows users ads that seem compatible with the content the user shares and views. The platform also suggests ads based on the information on other accounts the user consistently interacts and engages with. Users have the option to opt out of information sharing that occurs to provide the most compatible ads on their feeds.
To adjust what ads users can see, the following actions can be taken: view and adjust ad topic preferences, hide or report ads and adjust how ads are shown. More information on how Instagram suggests ads to its users and adjusting ad settings can be found on the Instagram Help Center.
To learn more about ways to protect your privacy, visit the below links:
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