If you’re new to the app Threads, designed by Meta and you’ve explored it but don’t feel like it’s for you, then you may be wondering how to delete the app.
Unfortunately, it is more complicated than you think as Instagram has put some restrictions that connect the app with Instagram.
On the Instagram Terms and Conditions, it says:
You may deactivate your Threads profile at any time, but your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account. The Meta Privacy Policy describes the information we process to support the Meta Products, including Threads.
On section 4 of the Instagram Help Center, it also says:
When you deactivate your Threads profile, your content and profile will be hidden from view by other users, but it will remain on the Threads Servers. Threads Content will be deleted from Threads Servers if you delete individual Threads Content or your Instagram account. When you request to delete your Instagram account, the deletion process will automatically begin no more than 30 days after your request. It may take up to 90 days to delete Threads Content from Threads Servers after the deletion process begins. Subject to Section 5(b) (Interoperable Capabilities) below, while the deletion process for Threads Content is being undertaken, such Threads Content is no longer visible on the Threads Service by Threads Users, but remains subject to these Terms and the Threads Supplemental Privacy Policy. After the Threads Content is deleted from Threads Servers, it may take us up to another 90 days to remove it from backups and disaster recovery systems.
Should you choose to delete your Instagram account, then deletion of your Threads Content from Threads Servers may not occur within 90 days where:
- your Threads Content has been used, copied, reposted or shared by others in accordance with the license granted under these Terms and they have not deleted it (in which case this license will continue to apply until that content is deleted);
- deletion within 90 days is not possible due to technical limitations of our systems, including the Threads Servers, in which case, we will complete the deletion as soon as technically feasible; or
- deletion would restrict our ability to: (I) investigate or identify illegal activity or violations of our terms and policies (for example, to identify or investigate misuse of our products or systems); (II) protect the safety and security of our products, systems, and Threads Users; (III) comply with a legal obligation, such as the preservation of evidence; or (IV) comply with a request of a judicial or administrative authority, law enforcement, or a government agency; in which case, the content will be retained for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which it has been retained (the exact duration will vary on a case-by-case basis).
6. If you delete or we disable your profile, these Terms shall terminate as an agreement between you and us, but this section and the section in the Instagram Terms called “Our Agreement and What Happens if We Disagree” will still apply even after your profile is terminated, disabled, or deleted.
To simplify everything, if you would like to delete Threads, you will have to deactivate your Instagram account.
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