Over 800 million people use Instagram every month. From stories and memes, to photos and videos people use Instagram in many different way. In our research we found that 27% of young people aged 8-17 use Instagram on a daily basis, and need on average 246 followers to feel happy. Show
In this blog we are looking to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Instagram and the privacy settings that are available on the app. What are the privacy settings on Instagram?On Instagram your profile is set to public by default, this means that anyone can see the photos or videos that you post. These photos can also appear in searches and in the ‘Explore’ tab. You can change the visibility of your profile in your settings by making your account private. Setting your account to private means that only followers who you approve can see your profile and posts. This also means your posts won’t appear in in the Photos tab of Search and Explore, or on a hashtag or location page. See our blog about Instagram privacy to find out more about the default settings on Instagram. What happens to my follower requests after setting my account from private to public?We have recently been asked a few questions about what happens to your follower requests once you change your account from private to public. If you have pending follower requests on your private account and then you turn it public any pending follower requests you have are automatically accepted. These people will then be able to view any of the content you have posted on your account. It is worth noting that once you turn your account to public, people will be able to follow you without having to request to do so. I set my account to private, what can I do about the people who are already following me? When you change your account from public to private the people who are already following you on your public account will still be following you on your private account. We recommend that young people regularly review their followers list, making sure they have only accepted followers who they know offline. They will not be notified that you have removed them as a follower, but if they visit your profile they will no longer be able to see any content on your profile. Do be aware that following each other is not linked so if you choose to unfollow someone they will still remain a follower of you unless you also remove this option. If you want to remove someone as a follower you need to: – Go onto your Instagram profile – View your followers list – Find the person that you want to remove as a follower – Click on three dots next to their name – Select ‘remove follower’ What information is still public on a private account?By turning your account to private only your followers can see the images, videos or stories that you post, however there is still some information that is visible publically on your account. At all times on Instagram, anyone will be able to see: – Your profile photo (although they cannot click to see a larger version than what displays on your profile) – Your username – Bio This means that any personal information in your bio on Instagram can be seen by anyone, whether they follow you or not. We would recommend that you do not put personal information (including your snapchat username, age, school or location) into a space that can be seen by the public. It is important that on any account you have that you think about your digital footprint and the type of information you would be happy for people to see. Read morePrivacy settings on Instagram – what do they mean? Questions on Instagram: looking at the latest feature What happens if I unfollow someone on Instagram? Polls and voting in Instagram stories How to spot advertising on Instagram Instagram introduces new comment moderation tools New Instagram tool helps users to look out for their friends More control over your Instagram profile Skip to content
Are you concerned about some of the daunting "new" Terms in Instagram's privacy policy? Have you heard Instagram has access to YOUR camera (which they refer to as "their" camera btw) and your messages? It's true. But it's not new. Most of what's in the privacy policy that people are concerned about is IN THE DATA POLICY which has been active for the past couple of years, people are just now paying attention. Here at Tech Wellness we've been very aware - We first wrote about these concerns and shared tips to protect your privacy on Instagram years ago. BUT There is one major point that's new and is actually IN THE TERMS OF USE, that you should be aware of. So here's what's not new in Instagram's Terms Of Use:
Our favorite Screen Protectors Block Blue Light-Plus protect your screen from scratches and shattering and Protect your Privacy. These Protectors Make It Harder For Snoops To See Your ScreenHere's What's Actually New In The Terms Of UseWhen you request to delete any sort of content on your account (think email address, a post, a comment, your credit card) it could take up to 90 days for that info to actually be deleted off of their servers. That content won’t be visible to the public but it WILL be subject to Instagram’s terms of use and data privacy policyDon’t love that!
This is something very important to consider as you add information, as well as decide if you want to keep your Instagram account at all. As for me, I have decided to keep mine active so I can continue to share important information around living balanced with technology. Also, I've put a link to Instagram's Old Terms of Use and the New Terms of Use at the VERY bottom of this Article if you want to compare them. But if you just want the top tips to keep Instagram's eye off of what you don't want to share- Here's our List Of Instagram Privacy Protection Tips- aka HOW TO STOP INSTAGRAM FROM SPYING ON YOUWe keep our account Logged Off when were not specifically using Facebook or Instagram. Yes, some consider it a pain to log off and log on. We're used to it and we know we're safer this way. Sometimes there are developer tools that are being used now that can actually keep Facebook and Instagram “running in the background" but if your phone allows you to NOT toggle "Background App Refresh" By all means, do not let Instagram update and run even if you don't have the app open. #2 Turn Off Microphone Access. This May Stop Instagram and Facebook From Listening All The Time:You may not have realized it, but you actually probably have given Facebook/Instagram access to your microphone when you posted a story or a video. Or sometimes when you do a software update, you'll find that the setting has been enabled for you. How nice right? So, even if you aren't sure your said yes to having Facebook and Instagram listen in, check now- First go to Settings on your phone or computer and You'll See Privacy
Then, tap where it says Microphone and disable Facebook and other Apps that don't need to access your microphone. Settings> Privacy>Microphone> ONLY TOGGLE ON WHEN YOU ARE POSTING. Toggle off after. #3 Don't let Instagram And Facebook Have Access To Your Camera--All the Time.Except when you're using the Camera to post to Instagram or Facebook. The only time they both really need to be enabled is when you're loading a video or story. Why give the Facebook enterprise access to it when you don't have to Settings> Privacy>Camera> ONLY TOGGLE ON WHEN YOU ARE POSTING. Toggle off after. And while we're talking Cameras and who can get access to them- we need to point out that sometimes the apps you download can end up having tools installed that allow hacker to access your camera(sad but true) - For me, Creep Blocker camera covers are the answer. I actually always have my selfie-cam covered because it seems that everytime I look at my phone-it's laying down with that camera pointed up and I would much rather see a cute CreepBlocker, than wonder if someone's viewing me when I don't want to be! Even if Instagram doesn't have access to your selfie-cam, other scammy apps can get access. It's a disgusting reality of the digital age. But absolutely no one sees anything when the camera is covered! I peel it off when I need to use my phone camera and then it goes right back on. Here's another possible privacy stealer. Do you really need to tell everyone where you are all the time? If not: Disable location through your iPhone or Android under Setting> Privacy> Location. Just Say Never. If you'd rather just decide to add the location-post by post, photo by photo here's how to do that.
You can add a location to a photo or video you've already shared or edit the location you originally included. To add or edit your location, first tap above your photo or video. Then tap Edit.
#5 Keep Instagram From Sharing When You're On InstagramInstagram will know- but the people you follow (and those that follow you) will NOT- if you make sure you UN-Toggle Activity Status. Getting To Instagram Settings: On your Home Page, Tap the Hamburger (3 horizontal lines) Scroll Down and You'll Find Settings At the Bottom. To Prevent Others From Seeing Your Activity: Settings> Privacy and Security>Activity Status Un-toggle SHOW MY ACTIVITY STATUS and what you like and your comments will only be seen by you and your Insta-friend. #6 Hide Stuff - Control Who See's Your Instagram StoryDid you want everyone to see that Instagram Story? Even your Ex or your mom or that acquaintance? Each Time you post the story you can decide who you want to see your stories. Settings> Privacy and Security> Story Controls There's one really nice feature in the new APPLE IOS update. It' a feature that works for all Apps that request access to your photos. It's a feature that you toggle that says "Allow Selected Photos." If you have the ability to us this option it's a good idea because Instagram will only be able to "see" the photos that you select. The photos or videos you select should be only the ones that you decide to post on Instagram or Facebook. #8 Do Not Use Messenger--or What's App- to Send Messages.Facebook hired several hundred people to LISTEN to Messenger recordings. Try using Signal to communicate with friends. Data On Your Phone, Including GPS Is Completely Hidden, Private and Off-The-Grid When In It's In A Faraday.-This One Is Beautiful!#9 Don't Log In To Apps or Other Websites Using Instagram or Facebook.Facebook has Business Tools that they share with websites owners, app developers, advertisers and business partners. When you login to a store or an app using your Facebook or Instagram account, you automatically are sharing what you do on that app or site with Facebook. They can even access what you do offline in that store if your account is connected. #10 Delete Your Account-BUT It Doesn't Happen Instantly.You can delete posts, photos, your comments, likes and anything you've shared to the Instagram platform. When you do, it will be instantly deleted. Kind of. It may disappear from your feed or someone else's, but it will stay on Instagram's servers for up to 90 days. If someone shared what you posted, it will stay on their feed. You deleting it does not make it go away. Also, in the new Instagram policy, take note, they are exercising their right to keep your data- if they think deleting your data could effect safety and security or if they need it for an investigation. So they are telling us they don't have to to delete anything anymore. Here are the details: The new policy isn't so new. Everything that people are freaking out about lately has always been part of the Instagram Terms of Use. All the tracking and selling of your data, the access to your camera and messages, using your information to serve you ads, all of it! The latest version has reworded , now they are making it crystal clear. Here's what they say now: How Our Service Is Funded: Instead of paying to use Instagram, by using the Service covered by these Terms, you acknowledge that we can show you ads that businesses and pay us to promote on and off the Facebook Company Products. We use your personal data, such as information about your activity and interests, to show you ads that are more relevant to you. We show you relevant and useful ads without telling advertisers who you are. We don’t sell your personal data. We allow advertisers to tell us things like their business goal and the kind of audience they want to see their ads. This pay to play on Instagram policy used to hide in lots of paragraphs. Now no one can say they didn't know. Thanks Mark. They don't stop there- here's more: We then show their ad to people who might be interested. We also provide advertisers with reports about the performance of their ads to help them understand how people are interacting with their content on and off Instagram. For example, we provide general demographic and interest information to advertisers to help them better understand their audience. We don’t share information that directly identifies you (information such as your name or email address that by itself can be used to contact you or identifies who you are) unless you give us specific permission. The fact is that when you use Facebook and Instagram you give them a non-exclusive license to your content and that allows them to modify, post, display and change your posts- videos, photos and the words you write and this new policy does not change that. You own your content and you can do whatever you want with- but that license you give them to you content, gives Instagram the right to do almost whatever they want with it, Including keeping it and releasing it to investigators should the need arise. You end that license when you delete your conent. But really truly deleting your content is tricky now. They've added this new dilly of a caveat. Check it out: When you request to delete content or your account, the deletion process will automatically begin no more than 30 days after your request. It may take up to 90 days to delete content after the deletion process begins. While the deletion process for such content is being undertaken, the content is no longer visible to other users but remains subject to these Terms of Use and our Data Policy. After the content is deleted, it may take us up to another 90 days to remove it from backups and disaster recovery systems. • Content will not be deleted within 90 days of the account deletion or content deletion process beginning in the following situations:
They use your Information to improve and promote their products. They connect all our treasured information from a number of places and people in order give us a nice tailored experience, wherever we go in the Facebook Kingdom. They use our location to help improve our experience on Facebook and Instagram and in our daily lives. And we see it--in the ads we're served. They use all of this to measure what we do and attempt to analyze why. That's the Facebook model now. We provide super detailed information to them with every Facebook and Instagram move-they compile it and use it and share it with tons of third parties-and companies who advertise with them. They don't sell it. They just share it. What others do with it, is really not under Facebook or Instagram's control- although they are asked to agree to privacy stipulation. We all know there are hackers, bad actors or even employees of the Company's that information is shared with. Anything can happen. Honestly anything you share can become anybody's business. You can delete it and erase your data but know that it's stored until it is no longer necessary to provide services. It's not really clear how long that search history you delete stays around. So bottom line, think before you search, post, visit, comment or approve an App to be used by your Instagram account. Want to see what DATA you've shared with Instagram?
Here you can choose from things like Email Address, Hashtags you follow, phone numbers you use, search history you haven't erased, Polls you've participated in, your previous bios etc. What you don't see, but what Instagram save is all your posts, comments, device data, locations Download Your Data to See Comments, Photos, Profile Info and More
You'll see more- but still not everything if you request a Download of your Data. When you make this request it will take sometime, possibly up to 30 days, but Instagram will contact you and send a link which you can download. We love these Secret Keeper Password Books Well, you can and you can't. Here's what you need to know:
Yes, just like Amazon and Apple, Facebook who also owns Instagram, has hired people to snoop on what your saying. They hear you through the microphone on your computer and your phone. We all knew that they were listening--because we would say something--not even on Facebook or Instagram- in fact we may have said it while we were watching TV or just talking to a friend and then minutes later we saw that ad. The ad for the shoes we just told a friend we liked. We mentioned we couldn't wait to bike Iceland and then, we went on Facebook and saw THAT AD. The Bike Rentals In Iceland ad. OMG how did they know? We knew. We knew they had heard us. The Privacy Policy seems to indicate that it could. We show you where below. Mark Zuckerburg says NO, Facebook does not utilize users Microphones-That was back in April at the Senate hearings about Facebook and user data
But Listening to Customers Recorded message is exactly what Facebook did- and now admits to.Read about the discovery in this report by Bloomberg. It talks about the contractors that were hired to listen and transcribe customers recorded conversations-apparently to make sure that Facebook AI was working. HMMMM. Even though Facebook claims that this breach of privacy only happened to people who chose to have their messenger chat transcribed, this admission of snooping tends to make you realize it might happen to anyone who uses Instagram or Facebook. After all, Facebook and Instagram do have access to your microphone and camera- and they say they "collect" any data you give them- while you're using "their tools" Read about the Privacy Policy- but first I Asked Instagram Questions Specifically About Their Camera. and here's The Letter I Got From The Instagram Team When I Asked For Clarity.Hi, Thanks for your question about the kinds of information Facebook collects. Please read the section of our Data Policy below to learn more: To provide the Facebook Products, we must process information about you. The types of information we collect depend on how you use our Products. You can learn how to access and delete information we collect by visiting the Facebook Settings and Instagram Settings. Things You and Others Do and Provide 1. Information and content you provide. We collect the content, communications and other information you provide when you use our Products, including when you sign up for an account, create or share content, and message or communicate with others. This can include information in or about the content you provide (like metadata), such as the location of a photo or the date a file was created. It can also include what you see through features we provide, such as our camera, so we can do things like suggest masks and filters that you might like, or give you tips on using portrait mode. Our systems automatically process content and communications you and others provide to analyze context and what's in them for the purposes described below. Learn more about how you can control who can see the things you share here: https://www.facebook.com/help/1297502253597210/?ref=cr * Data with special protections: You can choose to provide information in your Facebook profile fields or Life Events about your religious views, political views, who you are "interested in," or your health. This and other information (such as racial or ethnic origin, philosophical beliefs or trade union membership) could be subject to special protections under the laws of your country. 2. Networks and connections. We collect information about the people, Pages, accounts, hashtags and groups you are connected to and how you interact with them across our Products, such as people you communicate with the most or groups you are part of. We also collect contact information if you choose to upload, sync or import it from a device (such as an address book or call log or SMS log history), which we use for things like helping you and others find people you may know and for the other purposes listed below. 3. Your usage. We collect information about how you use our Products, such as the types of content you view or engage with; the features you use; the actions you take; the people or accounts you interact with; and the time, frequency and duration of your activities. For example, we log when you're using and have last used our Products, and what posts, videos and other content you view on our Products. We also collect information about how you use features like our camera. 4. Information about transactions made on our Products. If you use our Products for purchases or other financial transactions (such as when you make a purchase in a game or make a donation), we collect information about the purchase or transaction. This includes payment information, such as your credit or debit card number and other card information; other account and authentication information; and billing, shipping and contact details. 5. Things others do and information they provide about you. We also receive and analyze content, communications and information that other people provide when they use our Products. This can include information about you, such as when others share or comment on a photo of you, send a message to you, or upload, sync or import your contact information. Device Information As described below, we collect information from and about the computers, phones, connected TVs and other web-connected devices you use that integrate with our Products, and we combine this information across different devices you use. For example, we use information collected about your use of our Products on your phone to better personalize the content (including ads) or features you see when you use our Products on another device, such as your laptop or tablet, or to measure whether you took an action in response to an ad we showed you on your phone on a different device. Information we obtain from these devices includes: - Device attributes: information such as the operating system, hardware and software versions, battery level, signal strength, available storage space, browser type, app and file names and types, and plugins. - Device operations: information about operations and behaviors performed on the device, such as whether a window is foregrounded or backgrounded, or mouse movements (which can help distinguish humans from bots). - Identifiers: unique identifiers, device IDs, and other identifiers, such as from games, apps or accounts you use, and Family Device IDs (or other identifiers unique to Facebook Company Products associated with the same device or account). - Device signals: Bluetooth signals, and information about nearby Wi-Fi access points, beacons, and cell towers. - Data from device settings: information you allow us to receive through device settings you turn on, such as access to your GPS location, camera or photos. - Network and connections: information such as the name of your mobile operator or ISP, language, time zone, mobile phone number, IP address, connection speed and, in some cases, information about other devices that are nearby or on your network, so we can do things like help you stream a video from your phone to your TV. - Cookie data: data from cookies stored on your device, including cookie IDs and settings. Learn more about how we use cookies in the Facebook Cookies Policy (https://www.facebook.com/policies/cookies) and Instagram Cookies Policy (https://www.instagram.com/legal/cookies/). Information from Third-party Partners Websites, apps and businesses you visit or use can send us information through Facebook Technologies they use, including our social plug-ins (such as the Like button), Facebook Login, our APIs and SDKs, or the Facebook pixel or Instagram pixel. These partners provide information about your activities off Facebook, including information about your device, websites you visit, purchases you make, the ads you see, and how you use their services, whether or not you have a Facebook account or are logged into Facebook. For example, a game developer could use our API to tell us what games you play, or a business could tell us about a purchase you made in its store. To learn more about how we use cookies in connection with Facebook Technologies, review the Facebook Cookies Policy and Instagram Cookies Policy. We also receive information about you directly from partners who confirm they have the rights to provide us with your information, such as companies that gather publicly available information or help other businesses (such as retailers) identify or reach people interested in their products or services, or from research partners we collaborate with for the purposes described below. This can include demographic information, purchases and other interactions with businesses Learn more about the types of partners we receive data from here: https://www.facebook.com/help/494750870625830/?ref=CR If you have another question or concern, please visit Privacy Basics (https://www.facebook.com/about/basics) or our Help Center (https://www.facebook.com/help) for additional information. If you have more questions about our Data Policy (https://www.facebook.com/policy.php), please reply to this email. Thanks, The Instagram Team That Didn't Exactly Answer my question . . . So I Tried AgainHi,
And Then Jack With Privacy Operations at Facebook Replied Hi,Thanks for contacting us. We've reviewed your report, and it looks like you're objecting to the processing of all of your data. However, to provide you with Instagram, we need to be able to collect and use certain types of information about you. The types of information we collect about you depend on how you use our products. If we were to stop all processing of your data, you wouldn't be able to use Instagram. We’ve updated our Terms (https://help.instagram.com/581066165581870?ref=CR ) to explain the services we offer as well as our Data Policy (https://help.instagram.com/519522125107875?ref=CR ) to make it easier to understand the data we collect and how we use it in Instagram and other Facebook Products. Here are a few examples of what you’ll find in our updated Terms and Data Policy: - Personalized experience: Everyone’s experience on Instagram is unique, and we’re providing more information on how this works. We explain how we use data and why it’s needed to customize the posts and ads you see, as well as the accounts we suggest.- What we share: We will never sell your information to anyone. We have a responsibility to keep people’s information safe and secure, and we impose strict restrictions on how our partners can use and disclose data. We explain all of the circumstances where we share information and make our commitments to people more clear in the “How is this information shared?” section of the Data Policy.- Advertising: Our Data Policy explains how we decide which ads to show you in the “How do we use this information” and “How is this information shared” section of the Data Policy. We don’t share your information with advertisers. While we need to process your data so that you can use Instagram, you have many ways to control your data. This includes settings to make sure you share only what you want with the people you want to see it. Learn how to customize your privacy settings so you're in control of your Instagram experience:https://www.instagram.com/accounts/privacy_and_security/?ref=CR We hope this helps, but please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.Thanks,Jack, Privacy OperationsPrivacy OperationsHere's the link to the Old Terms of Use and the New Terms of Use About The Author: August Brice, Founder, Tech Wellness and SaferTech. August’s passion is to bring mindfulness and balance to our relationship with technology. She began her wellness journey over 25 years ago, when as a young mother and the busy Co-CEO of a successful advertising agency, August developed symptoms which she later identified as electro-magnetic sensitivity or ES. That began her journey to learn more and share what she learned with others. Her first videos on the subject were published over a dozen years ago. She is a patent holder, along with Dr. Carlo on a device designed to protect users from the RF radiation put out by our smart phones. Unlike most other sites dealing with these topics, Tech Wellness vets all posts through a panel of world renowned experts and independently purchases and tests products that claim to offer protection. August’s mission is to be a trusted resource for people searching for balance with their technology.
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