The companies that collect your data aren’t limited to Facebook and Google. There are many companies that are used by millions if not billions of people who also have access to user data.
One of these companies is Instagram, another popular social media platform purchased by Facebook in 2012.
Like Facebook, it is helpful to learn more about how and why Instagram stores your data so you learn to better manage the Digital You.
What does Instagram know about you?
Instagram’s Privacy Policy details the data they collect about you and what they use it for. It is a lengthy read, so we have broken it down into the main points.
When You Sign Up For Your Account
Instagram collects the information you use to create an account. This includes your name, email address, mobile phone number, username and password.
The Content You Create or Share
Instagram will collect metadata associated with posts you create and share. For example, when you provide a location on your post it is collected. Instagram can then use it to suggest certain filters or shooting styles when you are using the app’s camera.
Communications With Others
Instagram automatically collects communications you have with other users and analyzes it to provide context that they use to personalize and improve their products.
Network and Connections
Instagram retains any connections you make in the app. This means the people, accounts, pages, hashtags and groups you connect with are all collected. They will additionally use any contact information that you may sync to the app and use it to suggest people you may know.
Usage
Any time you use Instagram they collect data on what parts of the system you use and how you use them.
Transaction Information
Anytime you transact on Instagram your payment information is collected. This means the information on your debit or credit card are collected along with your address, billing, shipping and contact details.
Information Others Provide About You
You don’t even need to use Instagram for them to collect your data. Anytime someone posts about you, comments on a photo of you, imports your contact information or tries to send you a message, that data is collected.
Device Information
Instagram will collect data from any phones, computers, or connected tv’s you use to log into your account. Each of these devices contains identifiers, signals, settings and operations that they also collect. The data is then used for creating relevant (targeted) ads or parcelling out bots from real users.
Partner Information
This may not come as a surprise but Instagram ingests data provided by Facebook’s Business Tools. These tools collect information about your activities on and off Facebook. This includes information on purchases you make, websites you use, and your devices.
The Policy provides links to settings where you can delete and manage your information.
You can learn how to access and delete information we collect by visiting the Facebook Settings and Instagram Settings.
Check out some of our other blogs and tutorials where we have navigated these settings.
What does Instagram do with your data?
Every area Instagram collects data from is used to improve the performance of their products or to create ads that you are more likely to find relevant and click on.
Don’t just take our word for it, here is what Instagram states in their privacy policy:
We use the information we have to deliver our Products, including to personalize features and content (including your News Feed, Instagram Feed, Instagram Stories and ads) and make suggestions for you (such as groups or events you may be interested in or topics you may want to follow) on and off our Products. To create personalized Products that are unique and relevant to you, we use your connections, preferences, interests and activities based on the data we collect and learn from you and others (including any data with special protections you choose to provide); how you use and interact with our Products; and the people, places, or things you’re connected to and interested in on and off our Products.
Below the policy, there is a link where you can learn more about how Instagram chooses the ads they want you to see. The link actually directs you to a page that lives on Facebook’s about/ads page. Even so, because of Facebook’s ownership, it is still relevant to how they use your data on Instagram.
If you are looking to do a deeper dive into the data that Instagram has about you try downloading it and sifting through it yourself:
**Note You can’t download your data on your phone**
How to Download What Instagram Has About You
Log into your account on Instagram.
Go to your profile page and click on the Gear Icon.
Click on ‘Privacy and security’.
Scroll down the page and click on ‘Request Download’
Type in your email and click ‘Next‘
Finally, enter your password and click ‘Request Download‘
This whole process could take up to 48 hours. You will receive a link in your email with the file. It will contain all of the photos, stories and videos that you have shared or posted in the past.
Conclusion
The fact is, Instagram is far from the only company using consumer data. Companies around the globe will continue to use data for the improvement of their products and profit.
For this reason, it is up to you to manage the way you want your data to be treated. At ScoresMatter we provide you with tips and information on how you can better manage your data.
Tap Into The Digital You at ScoresMatter.