Data Policy

This policy describes the information that we use in order to support and its features, and our Products and Services.


What kinds of information do we collect?

In order to provide our Products and Services, we must process information about you. The types of information that we collect depend on how you use our Products and Services.


The things that you and others do and provide.


  • Information and content you provide. 

We collect the content, communications and other information you provide when you use our Products and Services, including when you sign up for an account, create or share content, and message or communicate with others. This can include information in, or about the content you provide, like metadata, such as the location of a photo, or the date a file was created. Our systems automatically process content and communications you and others provide to analyze the context and what is in them for the purposes described below.

  • Networks and connections. 

We collect information about the people, pages, accounts, hashtags and groups you are connected to, and how you interact with them, such as people you communicate with the most, or groups you are part of. We also collect contact information if you choose to upload, sync or import it from a device (such as an address book or call log or SMS log history), which we use for things like helping you and others find people you may know and for the other purposes listed below.

  • Your usage. 

We collect information about how you use our Products and Services, such as the types of content you view or engage with; the features you use; the actions you take; the people or accounts you interact with; and the time, frequency and duration of your activities. We also collect information about how you use features like our Social Media Filters.

  • Things others do and information they provide about you. 

We also receive and analyze content, communications and information that other people provide when they use our Products and Services. This can include information about you, such as when others share or comment on a photo of you, send a message to you, or upload, sync or import your contact information.

Device Information.

As described below, we collect information from and about the computers, phones, connected TVs and other web-connected devices you might use that integrate with our Products and Services, and we combine this information across different devices you use. We use the information collected about your use to better personalize the content, including advertisements, or features you see when you use our Products and Services. 

Information we obtain from these devices includes:

  • Identifiers: unique identifiers, device IDs, and other identifiers, such as from games, apps or accounts you use, and Family Device IDs (or other identifiers unique to Products and Services associated with the same device or account).
  • Cookie data: data from cookies stored on your device, including cookie IDs and settings. Learn more about how we use cookies by reading our Cookies Policy.

Information from partners.

Advertisers, app developers, and publishers can send us information through the Products and Services they use, including our Social Media Filters and social plug-ins (such as the Like button). These partners might provide information about your activities off — including information about your device, websites you visit, purchases you make, the ads you see, and how you use their services—whether or not you have a account or are even logged in.

Partners receive your data when you visit or use their services or through the third parties they work with. We require each of these partners to have lawful rights to collect, use and share your data before providing any data to us.



How do we use this information?

We use the information we have, which is subject to choices you make, as described below and to provide and support Products and Services. 


Here's how:

  • Provide, personalize and improve our Products and Services. 

We use the information we have to deliver our Products and Services, including to personalize features and content (including your feed and ads) and make suggestions for you, such as groups, pages, or events you may be interested in, or topics you may want to follow. To create personalized Products and Services that are unique and relevant to you, we use your connections, preferences, interests and activities based on the data we collect and learn from you and others; how you use and interact with our Products and Services; and the people, places, or things you're connected to and interested in. 

  • Information across Products and Services and devices: 

We connect information about your activities on different devices to provide a more tailored and consistent experience on all of the Products and Services you use, wherever you use them. 

  • Location-related information: 

We use location-related information, such as your current location, where you live, the places you like to go, and the businesses and people you're near, to  provide, personalize and improve our Products and Services, including our ads, for you and others. Location-related information can be based on things like precise device location (if you've allowed us to collect it), IP addresses, and information from your and others' use of Products and Services.

  • Product research and development: 

We use the information we have to develop, test and improve our Products and Services, including by conducting surveys and research, and testing and troubleshooting our Products, Services and features.

  • Ads and other sponsored content: 

We also use the information we have about you, including information about your interests, actions and connections, to select and personalize ads, offers and other sponsored content that we show you. 

  • Provide measurement, analytics, and other business services.

We also use the information we have to help advertisers and other partners measure the effectiveness and distribution of their ads and services, and understand the types of people who use their services and how people interact with their websites, apps, and services. 

  • Promote safety, integrity and security.

We also use the information we have to verify accounts and activity, combat harmful conduct, investigate suspicious activity and violations of our Terms and Policies, detect and prevent spam and other bad experiences, maintain the integrity of our Products and Services, and promote safety and security on and off of the community. 

  • Communicate with you.

We also use the information we have to send you marketing communications, communicate with you about our Products and Services, and let you know about our Terms and Policies. We also use your information to respond to you when you contact us.


How is this information shared?

Your information is shared with others in the following ways:

Sharing across Products and Services

  • People and accounts you share and communicate with

When you share and communicate using our Products and Services, you are choosing the audience for what you share. For example, when you post on, you select the audience for the post, such as a group, all of your friends, the public, or a customized list of people. Your network can also see actions you have taken on our Products and Services, including engagement with ads and sponsored content.

Public information can be seen by anyone, on or off our Products, including if they do not have an account. This includes your username; any information you share with a public audience; information in your public profile; and content you share on  Public information can also be seen, accessed, reshared or downloaded through third-party services such as search engines, APIs, and offline media such as TV, and by apps, websites and other services that integrate with our Products and Services.

  • Content others share or reshare about you

You should consider who you choose to share with, because people who can see your activity on our Products and Services can choose to share it with others on and off of our Products, including people and businesses outside the audience you shared with. Also, when you comment on someone else's post or react to their content, your comment or reaction is visible to anyone who can see the other person's content, and that person can change the audience later.

People can also use our Products and Services to create and share content about you with the audience they choose, by sharing a photo of you, mentioning or tagging you in a post, or sharing information about you in their posts or messages. 

  • Information about your active status or presence using our Products and Services.

People in your networks can see signals telling them whether or not you are active or currently online. 


When you choose to use third-party apps, websites, or other services that use, or are integrated with our Products and Services, they can receive information about what you post or share. Also, when you download or use such third-party services, they can access your public profile on, and any information that you share with them. Apps and websites you use may receive your list of friends if you choose to share it with them, but will not be able to receive any other information about your friends from you. Information collected by these third-party services is subject to their own terms and policies, and not this one.

Devices and operating systems providing native versions of will have access to all of the information you choose to share with them, including information your friends share with you, so they can provide our core functionality to you.

  • A new owner.

If the ownership or control of all or part of our Products and Services or their assets changes, we may transfer your information to the new owner.

Sharing with Third-Party Partners

We work with third-party partners who help us provide and improve our Products and Services or who use our Products and Services to grow their businesses. We do not sell any of your information to anyone, and we never will. We also impose strict restrictions on how our partners can use and disclose the data we provide. 


Here are the types of third parties we share information with:

  • Partners who use our analytics services.

We provide aggregated statistics and insights that help people and businesses understand how people are engaging with their posts, listings, pages, groups, videos and other content across our Products and Services.

  • Advertisers.

We provide advertisers with reports about the kinds of people seeing their ads and how their ads are performing, but we do not share information that personally identifies you, such as your name or email address that by itself can be used to contact you or identifies who you are, unless you give us permission. We also confirm which ads led you to make a purchase or take an action with an advertiser.

  • Measurement partners.


  • Partners offering goods and services in our Products.

When you subscribe to content or buy something from a seller using our Products and Services, the content creator or seller can receive your public information and other information you share with them, as well as the information needed to complete the transaction, including shipping and contact details.

  • Vendors and service providers.

We provide information and content to vendors and service providers who support our business, such as by providing technical infrastructure services, analyzing how our Products and Services are used, providing customer service, facilitating payments and conducting surveys.

  • Researchers and academics.


  • Law enforcement or legal requests.



How can I manage or delete information about me?



We store data until it is no longer necessary to provide our Products and Services, or until your account is deleted whichever comes first. This is a case-by-case determination that depends on things like the nature of the data, why it is collected and processed, and relevant legal or operational retention needs.


When you delete your account, we delete the things you have posted, such as your photos and status updates, and you will not be able to recover that information later. Information that others have shared about you is not part of your account and will not be deleted.



How do we respond to legal requests or prevent harm?



  • When we have a good-faith belief it is necessary to: detect, prevent and address fraud, unauthorized use of our Products and Services, violations of our Terms or Policies, or other harmful or illegal activity; to protect ourselves (including our rights, property or Products and Services), you or others, including as part of investigations or regulatory inquiries; or to prevent death or imminent bodily harm.
  • Information we receive about you, including financial transaction data related to purchases made through, can be accessed and preserved for an extended period when it is the subject of a legal request or obligation, governmental investigation, or investigations of possible violations of our Terms or Policies, or otherwise to prevent harm. We also retain information from accounts disabled for violations of our Terms and Policies, and Community Standards for at least a year to prevent repeated abuse or other potential violations.



We share information globally, both internally, and externally with our partners and with those you connect and share with around the world in accordance with this policy. Your information may, for example, be transferred or transmitted to, or stored and processed in the United States or other countries outside of where you live for the purposes as described in this policy. These data transfers are necessary to globally operate and provide our Products and Services to you. 


How will we notify you of changes to this policy?

You will be notified before we make changes to this policy and given the opportunity to review the revised policy before you choose to continue using our Products and Services.