In our previous post, we discussed how to delete your Facebook account. <hl>Now, it’s time to talk about another member of the Facebook Family: Instagram.<hl>

The visual social media network joined our lives in 2010 and was acquired by tech giant Facebook a couple of years later. Over the past decade, Instagram made the top ten list of most-visited websites (even though it’s mainly used as a mobile app), most popular Google searches, and the largest mobile user-base.

But in recent years, Instagram is also facing harsh criticism around online privacy, leading some users to delete the app. If that’s what you’re after – follow these steps to remove your presence (and data) from Instagram.

The technical steps: How to delete your Instagram account on your iPhone

1. After logging into your account, visit the Delete Your Account page. Make sure to use a mobile web browser (this process cannot be done via the app).
2. Next to the “Why do you want to delete <your account name>, you’ll find a dropdown menu. Choose the reason that suits you.
3. Enter your password.
4. Click Permanently delete my account.

That’s it! Remember that with Mine, you can find a list of all the companies that are holding your personal information and remove your data from services you no longer need.

Instagram and data privacy

• Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC), the lead EU GDPR regulator, is investigating claims that Instagram handles children's private data in ways that fail to comply with the law.
• Instagram uses facial recognition technology that some say has the potential of violating privacy regulations. So much so that a class-action lawsuit might cost the company $500 billion in fines. We’ve discussed ways to use this advanced technology more responsibly, and it’s essential for apps like Instagram to embrace this approach.

What else? A few things worth noting

• Facebook owns Instagram, which means that deleting one app but keeping the other could expose your data to the same company.
• Instagram holds many precious memories and beautiful photos, so you may want to consider downloading a copy of your data using Instagram’s Data Download tool before deleting it. You can do it right here.  
• It will take Instagram 30 days to delete your data, sometimes even up to 90 days, but the data will not be available to others during this period. Instagram states that some information may remain in their backup storage, which is worth investigating based on current regulations in the field and according to your specific location.  

With a <nofollow>Mine account<nofollow>, you can discover which companies have access to your data and enjoy an easy path to data ownership. Through your account, you can control your digital footprint and delete your information from companies that you no longer need, all from one easy place.