Social media platforms are some of the most sophisticated data collection operations ever built. Facebook knows your political beliefs, health concerns, relationship status, income bracket, and emotional state — often better than you know yourself. Instagram tracks your interests through every post you pause on. TikTok monitors your behaviour with remarkable granularity. This guide explains what these platforms collect and how to minimise their intrusion into your life.

🚨 Facebook (Meta) collects data about you even if you do not have a Facebook account, through tracking pixels embedded on millions of websites across the internet.

What Social Media Platforms Actually Collect

  • Everything you post: Photos, text, videos, comments, reactions
  • Everything you do not post: Drafts you started and deleted, posts you looked at but did not engage with
  • Time spent: Exactly how long you looked at each post or video
  • Your location: If you grant location permissions, often collected continuously
  • Your contacts: If you grant contacts access, your entire address book is uploaded
  • Your browsing outside the app: Via tracking pixels on other websites
  • Your device information: Battery level, phone model, screen brightness, clipboard contents
  • Your face: Facial recognition data from photos you upload

Facebook and Instagram Privacy Settings

Limit Ad Targeting

On Facebook: Settings > Ads > Ad Settings > disable “Data about your activity from partners” and “Categories used to reach you.” On Instagram: Settings > Ads > Ad Preferences > disable interest-based categories.

Disable Off-Facebook Activity

This is one of the most important settings. Go to Facebook Settings > Your Facebook Information > Off-Facebook Activity > Manage Future Activity > Disconnect Future Activity. This prevents Facebook from receiving data about your activity on other websites.

Restrict Location Access

On your phone, go to Settings > Apps > Instagram or Facebook > Permissions > Location > set to “Only while using app” or “Deny.” Never grant “Always” location access to social media apps.

Review App Permissions

Go to both apps’ settings and revoke unnecessary permissions: microphone (if you do not use voice features), contacts (unless you specifically want contact suggestions), and camera access when not actively using it.

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TikTok Privacy Considerations

TikTok has faced significant scrutiny from governments and security researchers for its data collection practices. Its privacy policy grants it broad data collection rights, and its Chinese parent company ByteDance has raised concerns about potential government data access.

⚠️ If you use TikTok, do not use it on devices that also have sensitive work data or accounts. Consider using it only on a separate phone or through a browser rather than the app.

If you continue using TikTok, minimise what you share in the app’s settings: Settings > Privacy > set account to Private, disable “Suggest your account to others,” and turn off Location Services for TikTok entirely.

Twitter/X Privacy

Twitter/X collects location data, tracks your reading habits (including tweets you see but do not interact with), and shares data with advertising partners. Key settings to adjust:

  • Settings > Privacy and Safety > Location information > disable location access
  • Settings > Privacy and Safety > Ads preferences > disable all ad personalisation
  • Settings > Privacy and Safety > Discoverability > uncheck both options if you want less discoverability
  • Consider making your account private if you do not need a public presence

General Social Media Privacy Best Practices

  • Use a different email and username for social media than for other accounts to reduce cross-platform tracking
  • Never “Login with Facebook/Google” on other websites — this shares your data and activity back to those platforms
  • Regularly audit connected apps: Remove third-party apps you no longer use (Facebook Settings > Apps and Websites)
  • Do not post your location in real time — share location photos after you have left
  • Be cautious about tagging others without their consent
  • Use the web version instead of the app when possible — apps have access to more device data than websites
  • Regularly download and review your data (all platforms offer this) to see what they have collected

More Private Alternatives

For those wanting social connection without surveillance capitalism:

  • Mastodon: Decentralised Twitter alternative, no algorithmic manipulation
  • Pixelfed: Decentralised Instagram alternative
  • Signal: For private group communication with friends

Final Thoughts

You do not need to delete all your social media to protect your privacy. Adjusting the key settings outlined above — especially disabling Off-Facebook Activity and revoking unnecessary app permissions — dramatically reduces data collection. Be intentional about what you share and who you share it with. The platforms want you to share everything impulsively; your privacy interests are better served by thoughtful, selective sharing.