“Threads”, an upcoming app promoted by Meta (which is roughly Facebook + Instagram + WhatsApp) as a more rational option compared to Elon Musk’s Twitter, will gather a wide range of information about its users. Images of the app, currently open for pre-download on the App Store, reveal that it will gather various data such as users’ health and fitness details, financial information, contact information, user-generated content, browsing history, usage patterns, diagnostic information, purchase records, location data, contact lists, search history, unique identifiers, sensitive information, and additional data.
While numerous applications, including Twitter, gather user data, Facebook and Google have rightly gained a particularly infamous reputation in this regard. The big F of tech has recently resolved a class – action lawsuit in the United States, related to data privacy, resulting in a settlement of $725 million. Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers have criticized Facebook for its past handling of user data. And that says it all… So be careful about the free, shiny new toys they are throwing our way…
