Threads and Data Privacy: Are We Sharing Too Much?

Threads, the new app from Meta, promises to revolutionize online communication, but at what cost to our privacy? Find out if we're sharing too much information. 

What is Threads App?

Threads is a text-based conversation platform developed by Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook. The app, which launched on July 5, 2023, has attracted 30 million users in less than a day, reaching 100 million today. Although Threads bills itself as a friendly competitor to Twitter, its launch in Europe has been delayed due to data privacy concerns.

Why is privacy important in the use of our personal data in the application?

Data privacy is an essential component of individual freedom and autonomy in the digital age. In the context of apps like Threads, data privacy becomes an issue of utmost importance due to the nature of the information that is collected and how it is used.

When we use apps like Threads, we provide a large amount of personal information, which can include anything from basic details like our name and location to more sensitive information like our interests, behaviors, social connections, and in some cases, even health and financial data. When collected and analyzed, this information can be used to create detailed user profiles, which can reveal much more than we might initially expect.

These profiles can be used for various purposes, from personalizing advertising to making decisions that can significantly impact our lives, such as determining our eligibility for financial products or health services. In the worst case, our data can be misused or fall into the wrong hands, which can lead to exploitation, fraud, or even identity theft.

Furthermore, data privacy is also a matter of personal dignity, freedom, and control. We all have the right to control who has access to our personal information and how it is used. When this control disappears, so does our ability to control our own identity and autonomy.

Therefore, it is crucial that users are aware of how apps like Threads collect and use their data and take steps to protect their privacy. This may include reviewing and adjusting privacy settings, limiting information sharing, and choosing applications and services that respect and protect data privacy.

What is the point of view of the experts on this?

The appearance of Threads has generated a series of discussions among privacy and cybersecurity experts. These experts, who sit at the intersection of technology, law, and ethics, have raised concerns about how Threads handles data privacy.

Rob D'Ovidio, a cybercrime expert and associate professor of criminology and justice studies at Drexel University, has warned users to be aware of privacy issues on Threads. According to D'Ovidio, the fact that Threads is not available in the European Union, which has strict data privacy laws, indicates that privacy concerns need to be investigated.

The European Union has been a leader in protecting data privacy with its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This legal framework requires companies to be transparent about how they collect, use, and protect personal data and gives individuals significant rights over their data. The fact that Threads has not been released in the EU suggests that the app may not meet these high data privacy standards.

What types of user data does Threads use?

Like many other social media apps, Threads collects a wide range of personal data from its users. This data collection is essential for the operation of the application, as it allows Threads to personalize the user experience and provide relevant features and services. However, the extent and nature of the data collected also raises serious privacy concerns.

Additionally, Threads' privacy description on the Apple App Store reveals that the app can collect a wide range of personal data, including health and financial information, contacts, browsing history, and location. This extensive data collection is concerning, as it can result in detailed digital profiles of users, raising serious privacy and data security concerns.

Experts have also pointed out that Threads may share data with third parties about a user's sexual orientation, religious and political beliefs, race and ethnicity, body, and employment status. This is common practice in the tech industry but is also a source of concern. Personal data is often the product of technology companies, and sharing this data with third parties can increase the risk of privacy and security breaches.

Health and financial information, for example, can reveal details about a user's physical and financial well-being. Contacts can reveal a user's social network while browsing history can reveal a user's interests and behaviors. Location can reveal where users live, work, and spend their free time.

Threads may share data with third parties about a user's sexual orientation, religious and political beliefs, race and ethnicity, body, and employment status. This data is highly sensitive and can be used to create detailed and potentially intrusive profiles of users.

It is important to note that although Threads collects this data, users have some control over their privacy through the app's settings. However, Threads' extensive data collection and data sharing with third parties underscore the importance of users being aware of how their data is collected, used and protected and taking steps to protect their privacy.

What about Threads in Europe?

The release of Threads in the European Union has been postponed due to regulatory uncertainty about how the app will use personal data. This is due to the EU Digital Market Law, which includes provisions for sharing user data across multiple platforms. Meta must wait for approval from the European Commission before it can launch Threads in EU countries.

It is important to note that once a user has created a Threads account, they cannot delete it without also losing the associated Instagram account. Users who want to keep their Instagram account will only be able to deactivate their Threads page.

How is Instagram related to Threads?

An important additional consideration to the relationship between Threads and Instagram accounts. When a user creates a Threads account, it is automatically linked to their Instagram account. This integration allows Threads to access the user's network of contacts on Instagram and provide a more seamless and connected user experience. However, it also has significant implications for user privacy and control over their data.

Once a user has created a Threads account, they cannot delete it without also losing the associated Instagram account. This means that users who want to keep their Instagram account will only be able to deactivate their Threads page, not delete it entirely. This practice can put users in a difficult position, as they may be forced to maintain an account of Threads they no longer want in order to maintain their Instagram account.

This lack of control over account deletion is concerning from a data privacy standpoint. Users should have the ability to delete their accounts and the data associated with them if they choose. The inability to do so may result in the retention and continued use of User Data, even after the User has stopped using the Application.

This practice also raises questions about transparency and consent. Are users fully aware of this policy when they sign up for Threads? Have you given your informed consent for your data to be used in this way? These are important questions for users and regulators to consider when evaluating data privacy on Threads.

Conclusions

In the digital age, data privacy is more important than ever. Apps like Threads, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn collect and use a lot of personal data, and it's crucial that users are aware of how this data is used and protected. Data privacy is not only a matter of security but also of human rights, freedoms, and personal dignity.

Data privacy awareness is essential to enable users to make informed decisions about how, when and where they share their information.

An informed user can take steps to protect her privacy, such as adjusting her privacy settings, limiting the information she shares, and choosing services that respect and protect data privacy. Additionally, awareness can foster greater demand for transparency and accountability from the companies that handle our data, which can lead to better privacy practices across the industry.

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Hills, N. (2023). Meta's Threads app is a privacy nightmare that won't launch in EU yet. TechCrunch. Retrieved on July 11, 2023, from https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/05/threads-no-eu-launch/

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