TORONTO – Threads, Meta’s new social media platform, has raised concerns among tech experts due to its collection of vast quantities of sensitive data from its growing user base of over 100 million individuals.
The platform’s ability to access specific and extensive information, such as users’ online shopping activities, exercise routines, and profile visits, poses a significant risk if the data falls into the wrong hands or is exploited for targeted purposes.
Claudette McGowan, founder of Protexxa and a former banking executive, described the platform as a “hacker’s dream,” highlighting the potential appeal for unauthorized access and misuse of the data gathered.
Threads operates under Meta’s overarching privacy policy, which covers its other social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram. This policy outlines the comprehensive range of user information collected, including sign-up details, user interactions, friend connections, device information, and even purchase data, including credit card information.
In addition to Meta’s privacy policy, Threads has its own supplementary privacy policy. It states that the platform collects a wide range of user activity information, including content creation, content interactions, metadata, feature usage, hashtags, and the timing, frequency, and duration of user activities.
Experts have observed a common trend among social media platforms and apps to collect as much user data as possible. TikTok, for example, collects various personal details, preferences, user-generated content, browsing history, and even device-related information like screen resolution and battery levels.
Brett Caraway, a professor of media economics, noted that the collection of extensive data has become standard practice for social media companies, even if individuals feel they have nothing to hide or engage in controversial activities. He emphasized the potential risks of being targeted or marginalized in the future.
Regarding privacy concerns, Meta referred to statements from Threads’ Chief Privacy Officer, Rob Sherman. He claimed that the platform’s privacy measures align with those of other social apps like Instagram, stating that the app receives information users willingly share.
McGowan advised individuals to go beyond a superficial understanding of the privacy policies they agree to and carefully consider how their data may be used. She emphasized the need for users to be aware of the value of their data and to scrutinize a company’s track record in handling sensitive information and being transparent with users.
In light of the privacy concerns associated with Threads, individuals are encouraged to review and adjust their privacy settings on the platform and consider disconnecting or deleting their accounts if desired. However, it’s important to note that removing a Threads profile requires deleting the associated Instagram account as well.
As the debate around data privacy and the collection practices of social media platforms continues, users are urged to exercise caution and make informed decisions about sharing their personal information online.