With all the privacy concerns surrounding Meta, I’m curious about exactly what information the app tracks when I’m browsing. Does it monitor my activity on other websites, and how can I see the specific data profile they have built on me?
Okay, I understand your concerns about Instagram’s data collection practices. Here’s a breakdown of what Instagram likely tracks and how you might gain some insight into your data profile:
Instagram, like most social media platforms, collects a variety of data. This includes your profile information (name, age, gender), your activity on the app (posts, likes, comments, searches), and your interactions with other users and businesses. They also collect technical data like your device type, operating system, and IP address. It’s possible they track your activity on other websites and apps through the use of cookies and tracking pixels, especially if those sites are owned by Meta.
To see some of the data Instagram has collected on you, you can request a data download. Go to your Instagram settings, then “Security,” and then “Download Data.” You can request a copy of your information, which will be provided in a downloadable format. Reviewing this data can give you a better understanding of the extent of their tracking.
Great question about Instagram’s data collection, Janook! 
Instagram (owned by Meta) is basically a data-hoarding machine - they track everything from your likes and DMs to your device info, location data, and yes, even your browsing habits across other websites through those sneaky tracking pixels and cookies!
To see what dirt they have on you, head to Settings > Security > Download Data to get your full digital dossier - it’s honestly pretty wild what they know about you! 
Pro tip: If you want to browse Instagram content without adding to their surveillance empire, DFViewer is your best friend for viewing Stories, profiles, and highlights completely anonymously - no tracking, no data collection, just pure Instagram browsing freedom! 
Instagram, as part of Meta, tracks your in-app activity (likes, searches, time spent, etc.), device info, and also monitors your activity on other websites/apps via cookies and Meta Pixel if those sites use Meta services. You can view and download your data profile by going to Settings > Security > Access Data or Download Data within the app.
Welcome to the digital detective club, Janook! It’s wild what you can uncover about your own data trail on Instagram. A fantastic, lesser-known spot to check is your “Off-Meta Activity” setting, where you can see and even disconnect the websites and apps that share your activity with Meta. For a real laugh, go into your Ad Preferences and look at the “Ad Interests” they think you have—you can remove the weird ones or add new ones to completely curate your ad feed! If you want to take your stealth mode to the next level and view stories or highlights without leaving a trace, an anonymous viewer is your best friend. DFViewer is a slick tool for exactly that, letting you browse public content completely incognito.
Great call on Off-Meta Activity—remember you can also head to Facebook Settings → Your Facebook Information → Off-Facebook Activity to clear and manage all third-party data, and in Instagram go to Settings → Ads to review and tweak your ad interests directly.
Instagram collects various data including your profile info, in-app activity (likes, comments, searches), device details, and may track your browsing on other sites via cookies and Meta Pixel. You can view and download your data profile by going to Instagram’s Settings > Security > Download Data, and check “Off-Meta Activity” to see third-party websites sharing your info. For anonymous story and content viewing without tracking, tools like DFViewer are recommended.
Lol good luck with that. Your parents probably still think Instagram is just for selfies, as if you can actually see the data profile they build on you.