By Thabo Peyi
Mar 5th , 2025
5 min read
Social Media Data Collection: Smart Personalisation or Privacy Invasion?
We’ve all heard discussions in the news among experts and politicians about social media using our data, but what does that look like, and is there any way to prevent it from happening?
In January, this became a major topic of conversation as TikTok faced a potential ban in the USA for this exact reason.
The phrase “social media is using our data” refers to platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok collecting information about your online activity. This data includes the posts you like, comment on, and the accounts you follow. The aim is to personalise your social media experience, making it more enjoyable rather than providing a generic feed.
This is also how social media companies generate revenue. By gathering your information, they can target you with specific advertisements. For example, if most of your social media activity revolves around sports, your feed will likely be filled with sports-related content, and the adverts you see may include running shoes or football merchandise. Similarly, if you engage more with art content, you will receive ads related to art supplies and exhibitions.
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The arguments for and against social media using our data
There are many different arguments surrounding how much access social media companies should have to our data and what they do with it. The major concern is that these companies may sell our data—such as phone numbers, names, and email addresses—alongside other sensitive information we are required to provide when signing up for their platforms.
There are various pros and cons to social media companies having access to our data. However, the average person may not be fully aware of them. Here’s a breakdown of what they are:
Pros:
Personalised content: The user will receive content tailored to their interests, as well as recommendations for content they may enjoy, without having to browse through irrelevant material.
Targeted advertisements: Social media platforms provide ads that are relevant to the user, allowing them to receive information about products more easily and simply, without needing to leave the app.
Building connections: By collecting data, social media companies often push content that aligns with users’ preferences, enabling them to connect with others who share similar interests. Platforms such as Twitter excel at this.
Market research: Businesses can utilise social media analytics to understand user patterns, helping them market their products more effectively based on consumer behaviour.
Brand awareness: Small businesses can grow by having their videos pushed to the right target audience, increasing their visibility.
The cons:
Privacy concerns: Users often send sensitive information unconsciously to social media platforms, which can pave the way for breaches that may compromise such information. Social media companies may also track their users’ behaviour without consent.
Misinformation and manipulation: Social media platforms may use their power to push false information and sway public opinion on certain topics.
Mental health impact: Spending large amounts of time online and being exposed to a specific type of content can lead to various mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues. Social media algorithms tailor content to users’ interests, which can contribute to social media addiction, negatively affecting both mental and physical well-being.
Data misuse: There is a growing concern that user data shared online can be sold to the highest bidder and subsequently used for malicious purposes, such as cybercrimes. With the rise of AI, this also increases the risk of more realistic fake profiles.
Minimal transparency: Social media companies are often not fully transparent about how they collect, store, and use user data. There are concerns regarding how securely this data is preserved from hackers and how it is ultimately utilised.
Ways to protect your social media data
There are different ways to protect your data when scrolling online. Although there isn’t a way to completely prevent your data from being collected on social media platforms when using their sites, you can take measures to reduce the risk of exposing your sensitive information and online behaviour. This helps you avoid the negative consequences of data collection.
For example, adjusting your privacy settings can prevent your location from being active and stop apps from accessing your camera and microphone. Be more selective about the types of posts you interact with on social media. Make use of social media privacy features to safeguard your account. Additionally, be cautious about the sensitive information you share, such as your phone number, name, and other personal details.
Social media is pivotal to society as we know it; we receive important information, communicate with others, and even shop on these platforms. However, understanding how social media works is crucial to protecting our data, so we do not fall victim to malicious intent from social media companies themselves, as well as third-party entities that might gain access to our data.
Thabo Peyi
Mar 5th, 2025
5 min read
We’ve all heard discussions in the news among experts and politicians about social media using our data, but what does that look like, and is there any way to prevent it from happening?
In January, this became a major topic of conversation as TikTok faced a potential ban in the USA for this exact reason.
The phrase “social media is using our data” refers to platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok collecting information about your online activity. This data includes the posts you like, comment on, and the accounts you follow. The aim is to personalise your social media experience, making it more enjoyable rather than providing a generic feed.
This is also how social media companies generate revenue. By gathering your information, they can target you with specific advertisements. For example, if most of your social media activity revolves around sports, your feed will likely be filled with sports-related content, and the adverts you see may include running shoes or football merchandise. Similarly, if you engage more with art content, you will receive ads related to art supplies and exhibitions.
The arguments for and against social media using our data
There are many different arguments surrounding how much access social media companies should have to our data and what they do with it. The major concern is that these companies may sell our data—such as phone numbers, names, and email addresses—alongside other sensitive information we are required to provide when signing up for their platforms.
There are various pros and cons to social media companies having access to our data. However, the average person may not be fully aware of them. Here’s a breakdown of what they are:
Pros:
Personalised content: The user will receive content tailored to their interests, as well as recommendations for content they may enjoy, without having to browse through irrelevant material.
Targeted advertisements: Social media platforms provide ads that are relevant to the user, allowing them to receive information about products more easily and simply, without needing to leave the app.
Building connections: By collecting data, social media companies often push content that aligns with users’ preferences, enabling them to connect with others who share similar interests. Platforms such as Twitter excel at this.
Market research: Businesses can utilise social media analytics to understand user patterns, helping them market their products more effectively based on consumer behaviour.
Brand awareness: Small businesses can grow by having their videos pushed to the right target audience, increasing their visibility.
The cons:
Privacy concerns: Users often send sensitive information unconsciously to social media platforms, which can pave the way for breaches that may compromise such information. Social media companies may also track their users’ behaviour without consent.
Misinformation and manipulation: Social media platforms may use their power to push false information and sway public opinion on certain topics.
Mental health impact: Spending large amounts of time online and being exposed to a specific type of content can lead to various mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues. Social media algorithms tailor content to users’ interests, which can contribute to social media addiction, negatively affecting both mental and physical well-being.
Data misuse: There is a growing concern that user data shared online can be sold to the highest bidder and subsequently used for malicious purposes, such as cybercrimes. With the rise of AI, this also increases the risk of more realistic fake profiles.
Minimal transparency: Social media companies are often not fully transparent about how they collect, store, and use user data. There are concerns regarding how securely this data is preserved from hackers and how it is ultimately utilise.
Ways to protect your social media data
There are different ways to protect your data when scrolling online. Although there isn’t a way to completely prevent your data from being collected on social media platforms when
using their sites, you can take measures to reduce the risk of exposing your sensitive information and online behaviour. This helps you avoid the negative consequences of data collection.
For example, adjusting your privacy settings can prevent your location from being active and stop apps from accessing your camera and microphone. Be more selective about the types of posts you interact with on social media.
Make use of social media privacy features to safeguard your account. Additionally, be cautious about the sensitive information you share, such as your phone number, name, and other personal details.
Social media is pivotal to society as we know it; we receive important information, communicate with others, and even shop on these platforms. However, understanding how social media works is crucial to protecting our data, so we do not fall victim to malicious intent from social media companies themselves, as well as third-party entities that might gain access to our data.
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