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    Terms of Use · Comprehensively reviewed on ToS;DR

    Is Instagram's Terms of Service safe?

    E

    ToS;DR Grade E · Very serious concerns

    Updated June 27, 2026

    According to ToS;DR, Instagram is rated Grade E. Approved analysis includes 4 blockers and 28 concerning points. ToS;DR marks this service as comprehensively reviewed. Top issues: The service can read your private messages; Your identity is used in ads that are shown to other users; This service holds onto content that you've deleted.

    Blockers

    4

    Bad

    28

    Good

    17

    Official documentTerms of Use
    Full analysisView on ToS;DR

    Top concerning points

    1. 1.

      The service can read your private messages

      blocker
      High

      The Service is able to access, scan, review or read all user communications, including private messages, which may contain personal or sensitive data.

      Source quote / document
    2. 2.

      Your identity is used in ads that are shown to other users

      blocker
      High

      Ads shown to other users may include a reference to you as an implied endorsement. Might give away information about your own personal lifestyle to strangers.

      Source quote / document
    3. 3.

      This service holds onto content that you've deleted

      blocker
      High

      Content may remain in backup servers and be retained after deletion, and thus never be completely deleted. This case doesn't apply to contributions that can't be removed due to the nature of the service.

      Source quote / document
    4. 4.

      They store data on you even if you did not interact with the service

      blocker
      High

      Some services store data on you even if you did not provide that data yourself. For example, users might provide access to their address book, after which a service might also store the phone numbers of that person's contacts.

      Source quote / document
    5. 5.

      Usernames can be rejected for any reason

      bad
      High

      The service's terms explain they may change or remove usernames at their sole discretion, and they may do so without prior notice.

      Source quote / document
    6. 6.

      This service uses third-party cookies for statistics

      bad
      High

      For instance, Google Analytics, rather than self-hosted (first-party) statistics software.

      Source quote / document
    7. 7.

      The service collects many different types of personal data

      bad
      High

      The service collects different kinds of personal data, such as name, demographic information, postal address, biometric data, device information, IDs, contacts, call logs...

      Source quote / document
    8. 8.

      The service uses social media cookies/pixels

      bad
      High

      These types of cookies/pixels send information to social media sites when you interact with the service.

      Source quote / document

    Frequently asked questions

    What is Instagram's ToS;DR privacy grade?
    ToS;DR rates Instagram as Grade E. Grades range from A (best) to E (worst). See the full breakdown on ToS;DR.
    Is Instagram's Terms of Service safe?
    ToS;DR's Grade E means the terms raise serious concerns. Read the blocker and bad points carefully before accepting.
    What is a top concern in Instagram's terms?
    The service can read your private messages — The Service is able to access, scan, review or read all user communications, including private messages, which may contain personal or sensitive data. (Source: ToS;DR approved point).
    Where can I read Instagram's official terms?
    ToS;DR tracks "Terms of Use" at https://help.instagram.com/581066165581870. Always prefer the official document over summaries.

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    Ratings and points from ToS;DR (open data). Termwise is not affiliated with ToS;DR. This page is informational, not legal advice. Always read the official document.