Warning: New Threads App Stealthily Gathers Your Sensitive Data, Including Search History.

Meta’s Threads App Raises Concerns Over Data Collection Policies

The launch of Meta’s new Threads app has sparked warnings and criticism regarding its policies that allow for the extensive collection of users’ data. TechCrunch describes the app as a “privacy nightmare,” while Quartz highlights concerns that the app may not be deployed in Europe due to potential data privacy issues.

i want to get on threads but here are my reservations:
– it’s a THIRD app owned by meta, creating a monopoly on social media
– meta has huge privacy issues
– you can’t delete it unless you delete your IG
– it blurs the lines between IG contacts and twitter pic.twitter.com/kgWSJVca2Y

— lilac bambi 2.0 (@altLilacBambi) July 6, 2023

Furthermore, the app has been criticized for its potential collection of sensitive information such as sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, biometric data, and more. Fox News reports that Threads will also collect photos, videos, voice recordings, and other audio files.

Threads Privacy Report knows more about me than me own mum! pic.twitter.com/fxQJDK1sTk

— Basic Apple Guy (@BasicAppleGuy) July 4, 2023

Tech Crunch adds that Threads will collect health and financial data, precise location, browsing history, contacts, search history, and other sensitive information. This data may be shared with third-party advertising and marketing firms.

Just found out apparently the reason threads is US only is because it collects so much user data that it violates privacy laws in other countries

— I’M CAPTAIN BASCH (@nyarlychan) July 7, 2023

Online privacy expert Mark Weinstein suggests that Threads, similar to other Meta products, will generate revenue through data harvesting and surveillance capitalism. This integration with Instagram could potentially surpass Twitter in terms of user data collection.

Yahoo notes that attempting to manage what Threads collects may impact the app’s performance. Additionally, the only way to delete a Threads account is by deleting the associated Instagram account.

Done deactivate Threads account & delete Threads app.

Reason ? Data privacy concerns.

I will not allow Mark Zuckerberg & @Meta to have access to my precious data. WTF you want to have access all these kind of information ? For data mining purposes so that you can sell our data… pic.twitter.com/nuOQ42aNin

— Saifuddin Amri, CISSP (@saifuddin_amri) July 7, 2023

TechCrunch suggests that Meta may face challenges launching the app in European Union nations due to privacy rules. The company has already been fined nearly $1.3 billion for sending data from EU users to the United States for processing.

Source: Alert: New Threads App Secretly Collects All Your Highly Sensitive Data – Even Search History (The Western Journal)

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