How to delete or deactivate your Threads account
5 min read
Deleting your old and unused accounts is a good cyber hygiene habit that helps you control the amount of personal information shared online. If you’ve created a Threads account driven by the initial excitement and curiosity the app spurred but decided it’s not for you, follow the instructions below. We’ll walk you through the tricky process of deleting your Threads account.
What is Instagram’s new app, Threads?
The relatively newly created Threads is Meta’s rival to Twitter. Like Twitter, Threads lets you post threads, join public conversations, and follow friends or creators with the same interests. While Instagram is a platform that connects people through photos and videos, Meta seeks to expand that to text and create a space to share your ideas with Threads.
For now, Threads is available in over 100 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Japan. Unfortunately, Threads is unavailable in European countries due to the EU’s strict data privacy rules.
What you should know about deleting your Threads account
Threads offers a variety of features, such as a higher character limit on posts and the number of items in a single post than Twitter. What’s more, Threads does not have ads. However, if this highly anticipated app doesn’t float your boat, deleting it is not very simple.
To encourage you to stay on Threads, Meta links your Threads account with your Instagram account, which means that the only way to delete Threads is to delete your linked Instagram profile. If you still want to keep your Instagram account, you’ll have to deactivate Threads.
Threads’ privacy policy explains, “You may deactivate your Threads profile at any time, but your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account.”
Therefore, in the following section, we’ll lead you through the Threads account deactivation process without deleting your Instagram account.
How to deactivate your Threads account
Unlike deleting, deactivating your Threads account takes minimal effort. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Threads and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right.
- Tap the two dashes in the top right to access the account settings menu.
- Select “Account.”
- Tap on “Other account settings.”
- Then tap “Deactivate Threads profile.”
- And confirm by clicking on the “Deactivate” button.
Done! You will be logged out of your Threads account automatically. Deactivating Threads doesn’t delete your posts, replies, likes, or followers but temporarily hides them from other users. If you’ll feel like returning to Threads sometime in the future, just log back in with your password and username.
Here’s our guide on deleting your Instagram account if you’re seeking to delete your Threads data for good.
Threads app privacy and security concerns
Threads is subject to the same privacy rules as the other Meta platforms, Instagram and Facebook. After recent Meta scandals involving user data storage, it is not surprising that Threads’ privacy reputation is not stellar either. Many security researchers report that Threads collect significantly more data than other apps of similar nature. Threads (Meta’s) privacy policy state that it logs:
- Browsing history.
- Threads activity (likes, friends list, messages, content you create and view, its metadata, features you use, and duration of your activity).
- Mouse movements.
- Physical location.
- What kind of phone, computer, or tablet you use.
- Purchase details, including debit or credit card information.
The collection of such information is considered invasive and not required for the smooth running of the app. Threads’ privacy security concerns are why the app is still unavailable in Europe. However, Meta says it is doing its best to make Threads in compliance with EU privacy regulations. The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, when asked if Threads is coming to Europe eventually, says, “That’s the plan.”
Is Meta’s Threads app safe?
According to cybersecurity experts, the answer to whether Threads is safe is not as simple as “Yes” or “No.” First, Threads shares the same privacy policy as Instagram or other Meta products, so if you already use Meta platforms, you’re probably familiar with their privacy regulations. Because Threads is a relatively new app, it has yet to be made clear how user safety will be affected in different ways on Threads.
However, you should always stay vigilant and take the necessary precautions to keep all your data safe. Read and understand Threads’ privacy policy before signing up, use unique and complex passwords, update your apps and device software, be careful when sharing your personal details, and check your account for suspicious activity. Better be safe now than regret it later.