User Data Collection Threads: Permissions Explained – Dexerto

Published: 2023-07-11T11:20:01

Updated: 2023-07-11T11:20:14

Threads collects various user data such as user location, personal details, financial status, messages and photos, health status and others. Should you be concerned? Let’s find out.

Threads, the Instagram-related social media platform, has been in the news for much of the past week. This brand new social media platform has amassed over 100 million users in a very short time and has even surpassed the likes of ChatGPT and others to reach this milestone.

That said, it has gone through a lot of scrutiny for the amount of user data it collects. According to the App Store listing, the threads collect personal details such as the brand of your phone, the apps you use, your location, personal information, health and fitness data, in-app purchases, messages , photos, videos and more.

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Should you be concerned about this data collection? Let’s find out.

What data does Threads collect?

According to the App Store specification, Threads collects a large amount of user data. This includes

That said, a closer look at Metas’ privacy policy suggests that the social media giant tracks your in-app activity across its platforms, including the content you post or the posts you interact with. In addition to this, it also tracks the advertisements you interact with, videos or images you take, in-app purchases on App Metas, messages you receive and share on apps, and other features you interact with.The apps also track your personally identifiable information such as your name, email address, and location. It’s not all; it also tracks the use of third-party apps that interact with Threads, as well as device details, software, device identifiers, signals from device settings, and your IP address.The data Threads collects is similar to what Metas collects on other social media apps, Instagram and Facebook. If you’re using Instagram, you’ve already shared these personal details with Meta.

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What does Meta do with your data?

Threads logo on the backgroundDiscussions

It cannot be denied that Meta collects a lot of sensitive data. Almost every other mobile app, including Twitter, that depends on ad revenue tracks user behavior to better serve targeted advertisements.However, as of now, Threads doesn’t run any ads, and because it has a deep connection to Instagram, Meta already has most of these details. Hence, it is surprising that Meta is accumulating so much sensitive user data.Metas’ privacy policy also states that privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. While it’s not clear what Meta means by this, it could mean that Meta may process age-related data along with usage habits to create new features or deliver highly age-relevant advertisements.

What does Meta do with your data?

It cannot be denied that Meta collects a lot of sensitive data. Almost every other mobile app, including Twitter, that depends on ad revenue tracks user behavior to better serve targeted advertisements.However, as of now, Threads doesn’t run any ads, and because it has a deep connection to Instagram, Meta already has most of these details. Hence, it is surprising that Meta is accumulating so much sensitive user data.Metas’ privacy policy also states that privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. While it’s not clear what Meta means by this, it could mean that Meta may process age-related data along with usage habits to create new features or deliver highly age-relevant advertisements.

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Should you use Thread?

Thread app login screen on a smartphoneRight

The fact that social media apps collect user data is nothing new. Twitter also collects a lot of data to better target its advertisements. However, Meta is facing all the criticism because its data collection practices and privacy policies go one step further. Threads’ privacy policies state that some information about collected data is shared with third-party services.Meta has also implemented a predatory policy to prevent users from exiting Threads. Let’s say you didn’t like the platform after joining it. In that case, you cannot delete your account without deactivating the linked Instagram account.That said, if you’re using a modern smartphone and have a lot of apps on it, there’s a chance that you share almost everything about your life with developers.Therefore, your use of any social media application or platform is your decision and you should read the relevant policies carefully. If you disagree with any of them, you should look for ways to exit that platform.

Check out the other articles on threads below.

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What is the Threads App? |Do threads work on the desktop? Web App Explained|How to Find Thread Badge on Instagram|How to Get Verified on Thread|How to Enable Dark Mode for Instagram Threads on Android and iOS|Deleting Thread Account Also Deletes Your Instagram?| How to Download Threads|How to use the Threads app explained

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