{"id":4621,"date":"2020-11-05T13:54:46","date_gmt":"2020-11-05T13:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dataleaklawyers.co.uk\/blog\/?p=4621"},"modified":"2020-11-05T13:54:46","modified_gmt":"2020-11-05T13:54:46","slug":"instagram-under-investigation-over-handling-of-childrens-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dataleaklawyers.co.uk\/blog\/instagram-under-investigation-over-handling-of-childrens-data","title":{"rendered":"Instagram under investigation over handling of children\u2019s data"},"content":{"rendered":"

Instagram is being investigated by Ireland\u2019s Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) following alleged concerns over how they may handle children\u2019s data.<\/p>\n

The DPC is investigating whether Instagram (owned by Facebook) has employed adequate protections and restrictions for children on the app, and are looking into how they process children\u2019s personal data.<\/p>\n

Instagram has reportedly taken preventative steps to desist the exposing of children\u2019s data. However, Instagram\/Facebook could have still allegedly broken the GDPR because of the potential for under-18\u2019s phone numbers and email addresses being displayed publicly online, it has been alleged.<\/p>\n

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Instagram\u2019s handling of children\u2019s data – investigation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The investigation comes after US data scientist, David Stier, reportedly complained about Instagram\u2019s alleged handling of personal data, following his own investigation. Stier is understood to have analysed 200,000 Instagram profiles from around the world and estimated that, for at least a year, 60 million users under the age of 18 could easily change their profiles to business accounts.<\/p>\n

When choosing the option to change your Instagram profile into a business profile, the platform appears to allow personal information to be easily accessed. To create a business profile, it is understood that you must display your email address and telephone number to the public. This is understood to mean that a child\u2019s personal information could, in theory, be displayed freely to other Instagram users. The same information is also said to have been displayed in the HTML code of Instagram profiles when accessed on a desktop rather than the app.<\/p>\n

A spokeswoman for Facebook defended the accusations, saying: \u2018We’ve always been clear that when people choose to set up a business account on Instagram, the contact information they shared would be publicly displayed. That’s very different to exposing people’s information.<\/em>\u2019<\/p>\n

Following the accusations, Instagram is understood to have made updates to business accounts that mean no personal information needs to be displayed at all.<\/p>\n

The GDPR for handling children\u2019s data<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) state that, when handling children\u2019s data, companies should:<\/p>\n