Instagram Lets Users Download Shared Data, WhatsApp to Follow Suit

I tried to download my Instagram data and all I got was a headache.

WhatsApp will soon roll out it’s updated privacy policy 

(Photo: The Quint)

What the tech community is calling a knee-jerk reaction to the recent Cambridge Analytica fiasco, major tech companies and start-ups are revisiting their their old data privacy and security policies, and re-working them to make it user friendly.

In a bid to make it more transparent for users to know what data is being tracked and used by the applications, app providers are now giving users the option to download data that users have shared with the app.

Just a few days ago on 18 April, Facebook introduced new privacy updates for its users in Europe as part of EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that will be effective from 25 May. Facebook already allows users to download their data.

Following suit is Facebook’s photo sharing app Instagram, which has released an update that lets users download the data that is being shared with the app.

This move is again to adhere to the regulations of the GDPR.

Here’s how you can download data from Instagram. Currently, there isn’t an option to do this via the mobile app, so you’ll have to use the desktop version:

1. Login to your Instagram account.
2. Go to Settings
3. Go to Privacy & Security
4. Go the the Download Data option
5. Click on Request Download
6. Submit your e-mail address
7. You’ll receive your data within the next 48-hours

Though, according to Instagram’s website, these are just the instructions to get a copy of the data, but when I tried the same, all I got was a headache rather my own Instagram data.

Here’s What Happened:

1. After requesting the data, I was sent a download link from Instagram to download my data.

Download link via Instagram on Gmail(Photo: Screenshot)

2. After clicking on Download, my Instagram login page popped up.

Instagram login page(Photo: Screenshot)

3. After entering the password, I was redirected to a page with an error message “Suspicious Login Attempt”, despite entering the correct password.

Error message while attempting to login to Instagram(Photo: Desktop screenshot)

4. After entering the security code, I was directed to my Instagram profile page with no data downloaded!

This process continued for the another five attempts where I wasn’t able to download my Instagram data. Just out of curiosity, I tried this via multiple accounts and still no success. Sorry Instagram, this isn’t working out for me!

WhatsApp has also pulled up its socks and is going to be updating its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

In a recent message on WhatsApp’s blog post, it said “ We are not asking for new rights to collect personal information with this update. Our goal is simply to explain how we use and protect the limited information we have about you”.

WhatsApp says it does not collect any of the user’s data and neither does it store messages or files.

Currently, WhatsApp is implementing some changes in its services in the European Union(EU). Some of the caveats aren’t..., lets just say, teen friendly.

Two of the changes that Facebook has implemented are:

• The minimum age for signing up on WhatsApp in the EU has now been set at 16 years, as opposed to 13 years, which was the earlier requirement.
  
• For the first time, users will be able to download what data they share with WhatsApp.

This news has been devastating for some of the kids below that age bracket.

The “download your WhatsApp data” feature is not available globally, but WhatsApp has said it will be made available to all users on the newest version of the app.

One thing’s for sure, Instagram has already averted any further lawsuits and damages by updating it’s security policies and WhatsApp too, is planning to follow up.

Seeing where this is heading, we can expect more apps and companies to take a leaf out of Facebook and Instagram’s playbook in the days to come.

The result? Safer social networking apps and websites for the users.

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