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Instagram vs Signal

Based on our analysis, Signal is the more privacy-respecting choice overall.

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CategoryInstagramSignal
OverallD · 32/100A · 87/100
What they collectConcern (22)Positive (88)
Who they share it withConcern (18)Positive (88)
What you can doConcern (38)Mixed (78)
What they promiseMixed (45)Positive (86)
In plain English — Instagram

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.

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In plain English — Signal

Signal is a nonprofit that genuinely cannot read your messages or listen to your calls — the encryption is architectural, not a promise — but it requires a real phone number to register, is subject to US law, and its privacy policy is conspicuously sparse: it hasn't been substantively updated since 2018 and lacks the specific retention periods, GDPR rights, or DPO contact that more thorough policies provide.

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Privacy policies decoded, for free.

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