Threads

"Device characteristics and device software. What you're doing on your device, like whether our app is in the foreground or if your mouse is moving (which can help tell humans from bots). Identifiers that tell your device apart from other users'. Device signals. Information you've shared through your device settings (like GPS location). Information about the network you connect your device to."

Meta collects broad device-level data including device signals, mouse movement tracking, network information, camera roll access, and voice-enabled features — much of which goes beyond what's needed for core social media functionality.

"Information you've shared through your device settings (like GPS location). Location-related information. Information about the network you connect your device to, including your IP address. Information from cookies and similar technologies."

Meta collects location data through GPS, IP address, and network information, and uses it across nearly every processing purpose including ad personalization, analytics, and sharing across Meta Companies.

"Here's more detail about who we share information with: Partners — Advertisers and Audience Network publishers, Partners who use our analytics services, Partners who offer goods or services on our Products and commerce services platform, Integrated partners. Vendors — Measurement vendors, Marketing vendors. Service providers. Third parties — External researchers, AI integrations, Other third parties."

Meta shares user data with a very broad set of third parties including advertisers, analytics partners, measurement vendors, marketing vendors, integrated partners, and external researchers, creating extensive data exposure.

"We use information we collect to provide a personalized experience to you, including ads, along with the other purposes we explain in detail below. For some of these purposes, we use information across our Products and across your devices. We share information we collect globally, both internally across our offices and data centers and externally with our partners, third parties and service providers."

Meta tracks users across all Meta Company Products (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.), across devices, and uses off-platform activity data from partners to build unified profiles for ad targeting and personalization.

"We keep information as long as we need it to provide our Products, comply with legal obligations or protect our or other's interests. We decide how long we need information on a case-by-case basis. In some instances and for specific reasons, we'll keep information for an extended period of time."

Meta provides no specific retention timelines, instead using vague 'case-by-case' language and reserving the right to keep data for 'extended periods,' making it unclear when or if user data is actually deleted.

"How will you know the Policy has changed? We'll notify you before we make material changes to this Policy. You'll have the opportunity to review the revised Policy before you choose to continue using our Products."

Meta frames continued use of their products after policy changes as the user's choice to accept new terms, meaning users must either accept whatever changes are made or stop using all Meta products entirely.