A clause in the Supplemental Privacy Policy by Meta has raised eyebrows among the people. The clause states that deleting a Threads account will lead to the termination of the linked Instagram account.
First reported by Techcrunch, the rationale behind this policy, as explained by Meta, is that the Threads profile is an integral part of the user’s Instagram account. This revelation has left many users astonished and sparked discussions regarding the implications of such a requirement.
This discovery has raised many questions pertaining to user privacy and ethics. A closer examination of the Supplemental Privacy Policy which users agree to when creating their Threads account, highlights a noteworthy line: “You may deactivate your Threads profile at any time, but your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account.” This clause also underscores the integral connection between the two accounts.
The policy also outlines various tools within Threads that allow users to manage, download, and delete information. However, access to these features is limited to the Instagram settings interface, emphasising the interdependence of the two platforms.
Just like Instagram and Facebook, users can also temporarily deactivate their Threads account which will result in the concealment of profiles, likes, threads, and replies. For reactivation of the account, users will need to sign in to their accounts.
Threads, a new Twitter alternative by Meta, is taking social media by storm as it racks up 10 million signups within seven hours of its launch, given the fact that Twitter has been facing issues since Elon Mush took over the platform in October last year.
Following its global launch on Wednesday, Threads quickly gained traction among users in over 100 countries, thus outpacing Twitter’s other competitors like Mastodon, Bluesky, and Hive Social, among others.
Prominent brands such as Netflix, Amazon, NFL, and Pepsi have demonstrated their confidence in Threads by joining the platform. However, there are still many major players in the tech industry and otherwise who are still not sure about joining the platform. Names such as Google, Apple, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Disney have left industry observers wondering what their next move will be with respect to Threads.
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