Privacy

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A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

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How is instagram spying on me? (slrpnk.net)

submitted 3 months ago by countrypunk@slrpnk.net to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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I want to preface this by saying that yes, I know that Instagram is bad. I am planning to get rid of it in the future but as of now I have to keep it for communication with people who are only on that platform.

So I have grapheneOS, use protonvpn (free version), use mull as my browser, and do not have google play services enabled on my phone. I do have some apps downloaded through aurora store such as Instagram, whatsapp, mychart, and mint mobile, but the rest came from f-droid.

I have noticed multiple times that after having private conversations on matrix, I get Instagram content in my feed that is scarily accurate to the conversation I had on the other platform immediately after. I know that things discussed in Instagram direct messages and group chat will give suggested content based on those conversations, but I get stuff that that is very specific to what I have ONLY discussed on matrix and didn't look up via my browser.

So my question is how is Instagram doing this and what can I do to mitigate the spying it's doing on my other apps. Thanks.

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[–] chirospasm@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Is IG on a completely different profile in GrapheneOS, or is the app installed on the primary profile where you use your other apps? GrapheneOS's profiles completely isolate from one another.

[–] countrypunk@slrpnk.net 1 points 3 months ago (2 children)

IG is on the primary profile.

[–] chirospasm@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 months ago

Use the user profiles feature of grapheneos to make a "social" profile and only use that to access Instagram / facebook.

You'll want to consider isolating IG from your primary profile, to start. The above user's suggestion hits the nail on the head.

Once the profile ks created, and you've installed IG, you'll want to deselect the option in your Manage Profiles settings on GrapheneOS to 'Allow running in the backgroud.' This way, you can ensure the app is entirely stopped until you want it open.

Another consideration may be to turn off your Bluetooth when it's not in use, as well: BT emits an 'address' of sorts that, if another IG user has enabled BT access on their IG app, may be able to detect your phone and track a conversation knowing you are in the other user's vicinity.

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