Twitter updates Privacy Policy, offers new data controls

May 23, 2017 - 3:44 PM
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Twitter has updated its Privacy Policy to reflect improvements in how and when it collects, uses and shares information across its websites and other services such as SMS, APIs, applications, and commerce.

The company has also introduced a suite of industry-leading tools to give people greater access to their information and more granular control over how the information is used.

Privacy is built into Twitter’s DNA. The company actively promotes and advocates for privacy across the world.

Two major changes in privacy policy are in the areas of Web data and data sharing.

Web data: Twitter has expanded how it uses and stores data from other websites that integrate Twitter content, like embedded Tweets. This will allow Twitter to further improve and personalize its services, connecting people with the stories, brands and organic content they care about most. Twitter also announced that it will be participating in the Swiss-US Privacy Shield and adhere to the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising.

Data sharing: Twitter has updated how it shares non-personal, aggregated, and device-level data, including through select partnership agreements that allow the data to be linked to the name, email, or other personal information, but only when the user gives his consent to those Twitter partners.

Twitter is also rolling out new tools to enhance user experience in terms of improved transparency, better control and expanded personalization.

Increased transparency: Twitter is expanding Your Twitter Data to give people the most transparent access to their Twitter information to date, including demographic and interest data, as well as to advertisers that have included specific users in their tailored audiences on Twitter. Each data category will be clearly marked, and the data can be viewed or modified directly.

New controls: Twitter is also launching new Personalization and Data settings that offer even more granular control over how the company taps into users’ data, including how people’s experience can be personalized on Twitter and additional user options to share information through specific partnerships. People can use these controls to better personalize their experience on Twitter and with a single switch, opt out of various types of data usage and sharing services.

Personalization across devices: When people log in, Twitter will associate their device with the account for such purposes as authentication and personalization. The company may personalize user experience based on information from other devices besides the ones used regularly to log in to Twitter. This feature can be turned off in the Personalization and Data settings.

Twitter partners with civil society and stand up to governments as it continues to evolve efforts around transparency. Twitter’s commitment in protecting and defending users’ privacy as well as in further enhancing user experience in the digital space will continue as the company builds on its industry leadership in these particular issues.