App Privacy: Threads and Its Dark Side

Recently, a new app called Threads has taken the world by storm. In less than 24 hours, Threads had over 30 million users. The app reached over 100 million users in less than a week. 

By all accounts, Threads is the most rapidly downloaded app ever. However, with all of this hype around Threads, one part of the world that doesn’t get to share the excitement are the countries of the European Union. 

In recent years, the European Union has progressively rolled out stronger privacy legislation relating to technology companies like Google and Meta. The biggest such law was the Digital Markets Act or DMA. In this legislation, big tech companies must embrace interoperability or face enormous fines.

Privacy Concerns 

Another problem is with the data Threads collects. According to the Apple App Store, Threads collects your–

• Health and Fitness data 
• Financial Information 
• Contact Information 
• User Content
• Browsing History 
• Usage Data
• Diagnostics 
• Purchases
• Location 
• Contacts 
• Search History 
• Personal Identifiers
• Sensitive Information 
• Other such Data. 

All of this Data can be linked to you and currently there is no way to opt-out of this data tracking, or even delete your Threads account – you must delete your entire Instagram account for that to take place. 

For European regulators, this is a nightmare in privacy, and that’s why Meta has held off its launch in Europe. The lack of choice in whether or not you provide your personal information to Threads, and the lack of a way to remove your account separately from Instagram could also potentially lead to antitrust concerns in regulators both in the US and EU. 

The Biggest Commodity Online — You

To be honest, the biggest commodity online is you. One might excuse the necessity of sharing location or usage data, but does any company need access to how often your heart races or what you searched for online or to your “sensitive information?”

If companies and bad actors stealing your businesses data is concerning, investing in high-quality cybersecurity can put your mind at ease. Swan Software Solutions provides a dedicated team of cybersecurity engineers focused on protecting your business. To find out more about our cybersecurity services or discover how a custom solution might help your business, contact us to schedule a free assessment.