Meta updates privacy policy for FB, Meta, Insta

Meta is rolling out notifications letting people know that it has updated its Privacy Policy, formerly known as the Data Policy. Inspired by feedback from people who use its technologies and privacy experts, Meta rewrote its Privacy Policy to make it easier to understand and to reflect the latest products it offers.

Notifications that people will start to receive today on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger will direct them to information about what to expect from the relevant Privacy Policy and Terms of Service in their region. They’ll also see a summary of what’s different. These updates go into effect on July 26, and people don’t need to act on this notification by this date to continue using our products.

The updated Meta Privacy Policy covers Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and other Meta products. It doesn’t cover WhatsApp, Workplace, Free Basics, Messenger Kids or the use of Quest devices without a Facebook account, which have their own privacy policies.

“While the text looks different in many places, Meta is not collecting, using or sharing your data in new ways based on this policy update and we still do not sell your information. Our goal with this update is to be more clear about our data practices; one way we’ve done this is through additional details and examples throughout. At Meta, we’ve always set out to build personalized experiences that provide value without compromising your privacy. So, it’s on us to have strong protections for the data we use and be transparent about how we use it. That includes communicating more clearly about our data practices and the choices you have,” said Michel Protti, Chief Privacy Officer, Product.

The company is also including more ways to access controls you can use to experience its products in ways that are right for you. You can continue to manage your privacy settings at any time.

In addition, Meta is updating its Terms of Service to better explain what is expected from the company and those who use its platforms.

“These expectations include the rights and obligations described in our Community Standards, for example when we may disable or terminate accounts that violate our Terms or Community Standards or others’ intellectual property rights or other laws. Some Terms of Service changes match updates to our Privacy Policy, including additional details about what happens when you delete content,” said Michel Protti.

“As privacy and data protection regulations have improved around the world in recent years, we’ve explored ideas in people-centered privacy design and have worked to make our data practices more transparent. The updates we’re announcing today are inspired by feedback from privacy experts, policymakers, and people who use our services. Our aim going forward is to update our Privacy Policy more frequently as we continue to learn what areas we can improve. We encourage everyone to read our updated Policy which will help people understand how our practices apply, including up to date information about our newer products, like Shops and Facebook View, as we continue to innovate. We’ve added more examples about the kinds of information we collect to provide the personalized services people expect, like recommended content and suggested connections. We’ve also included more details about the types of third-parties with whom we share and receive information and explained how and why people’s information is shared across our products, among other changes. Our updated policy has more details about information we collect if you use our products but don’t have an account and when we share information with law enforcement for the purposes of safety and security. For a summary of other key changes to our Privacy Policy, you can review this page,” he added.