3 Concern1 Mixed0 Positive
D32 / 100
In Plain English
Meta collects almost everything: what you post, what you look at and for how long, device and location data, and data from other people and advertisers. They infer sensitive traits and use Meta AI conversations for ad targeting. Data is shared across all Meta products and with advertisers. You can adjust ad preferences and download your data, but you can't stop collection itself.
Category Breakdown
Known data breaches
January 2026
6.2M
records
Display namesEmail addressesGeographic locationsPhone numbersUsernames
Source: Have I Been Pwned — verified public breaches only
How Instagram could earn a higher grade
Recommended changes
- Separate Instagram's privacy policy from Meta's consolidated policy so users understand exactly what Instagram collects independently.
- Provide a clear, single opt-out for cross-app tracking between Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Threads.
- Stop inferring sensitive attributes (political views, religion, health status) for ad targeting — these categories carry the highest risk of harm.
- Publish specific data retention timelines for each data type rather than using broad 'as long as your account is active' language.
- Allow users to download their full inferred interest profile — not just raw data, but the actual categories Instagram uses to target them.
Frequently asked questions
Alternatives to Instagram
C+
Snapchat
63/100
Snapchat deletes chats by default within 24 hours and explicitly won't use your private messages for ads — two genuine p…
C+
Reddit
60/100
Reddit collects your behaviour, device data, and inferences about your demographics, and shares some of it with ad-tech…