Instagram’s parent company, Meta, is introducing a feature that will allow you to control how third parties share your interactions and information with the photo and video-sharing platform. Users can now directly block Instagram from accessing and collecting their data from third parties. This feature called “Activity Off-Meta Technologies” is currently available in the latest Instagram update, it was previously available on Facebook only.
To access this feature, go to Account Settings on Meta’s Account Centre on Instagram. Using this control feature, you can easily review the businesses that are sharing data with Meta, disconnect specific ones to further personalize your experience, or clear this data entirely.
Important to note that this will not reduce the number of ads that Instagram serves you. Instead, you will get less personalized ads.
Meta relies on information shared by businesses and organisations for personalized ads served on Facebook and Instagram. Its advertising has significantly contributed to the company’s revenue growth. Last year Meta generated $113 billion in ad revenue, the figure dropping slightly from $114 billion in 2021 according to Statista. The decline can be attributed to the recent crackdown by global regulators and companies such as Apple on how the company collects and uses data from third parties.
Meta has been at loggerheads with various regulators over its data and ads policy which has seen it receive heavy penalties for mishandling user data. The Big Tech’s approach on how it collects and uses data to serve ads has always been a huge concern with the majority of the users citing privacy concerns. This move is likely the tech giants’ play at appeasing the European Union which set new rules restricting Meta’s serving targeted ads without user consent.
New transfer feature coming to Instagram and Facebook
In addition to the control feature, Meta is introducing an easier way to transfer all your images and videos from Instagram and Facebook to other services. Transfer Your Information is available on Instagram and aims to make data portability even easier. For example, you can use photos you’ve uploaded to Instagram to create and print a photo album using a third-party service.
