Instagram Introduces New Feature for Enhanced Data Control

Instagram has launched a new feature that gives users more control over the data they share with third-party apps. Now, users can go to Settings → Security → Apps and Websites to see which external services have access to their data. This section provides information about active and expired apps that can access your profile information, username, account type, photos, and captions.

As more companies—such as those offering photo printing or website creation—request permission to import photos from Instagram, it has become increasingly difficult for users to keep track of which apps have access to their data and when permission was granted. To make this process easier, Instagram developers have added a new authorization interface that displays a list of requested permissions. With a simple toggle, users can allow or deny an app access to specific data.

Instagram says it will take about six months to fully roll out this feature—a surprisingly long timeframe, considering that new features are usually added within a few weeks.

Recently, Instagram also introduced a new feature to protect users from phishing attacks. Now, when users receive a notification from Instagram, they can check whether it was actually sent by the company or if it’s a scam attempt.