Ultimately, whether Honista provides additional privacy over the official Instagram app is all about their data handling and user control. According to a Statista study, 76% of internet users are concerned about privacy while using an app and what the software vendor does with their data. While Honista markets itself as an Instagram alternative, to assess privacy promises we need to look at what the service actually does.
Therefore, according to Honista, the Privacy upgrade is what gives users more privacy-based features and control over their data; For instance, the app is said to use proprietary advanced encryption protocols for messages and personal data (far more secure than Instagram's standard encryption). But the efficacy of these programmes can be doubted due to lack of independent audits. Instagram came under fire last year in 2022 when it was revealed over an immense leak that compromised the privacy of some 49 million user records.
Choi said that user control over this data is a key selling point for Honista. Custom announce privacy controls - Let users decide who sees what they post and can track sharingRegularExpression tracking coming up next! An almost total lack of privacy controls is answer to the prayers for those who find themselves limited by Instagram's many layers of mild. A Deloitte report from 2023 showed that more than half (63%) want "privacy-centricized" applications with fine-tuned privacy settings.
However, being a third party app does bring with it certain security risks for privacy which is something to keep in mind. Since users need to use their Instagram login credentials for the app, this has consequences on data security and unauthorized access. This underscores the dangers of unofficial apps after 90 million Instagram accounts were exposed by a third-party app exploit, just last year.
In the words of Elon Musk: “I think it’s important to have a future that is inspiring and appealing. There have got to be reasons that you get up in the morning and you want to live. His focus on aspirational features corresponds with the desire for apps that respect user privacy and foster trust. A further incentive for Honista to protect your information and be as transparent about what they are using it for is the need to maintain user trust.
Honista alludes to as much in its muddled privacy statement, adding that it does not store personal information for longer than seven days or share data with anyone else, but the legal terrain around this issue is a lot cloudier. Any app working with user data must also comply with regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Non-compliance of these laws can result in hefty fines, as much as €20 million or 4% of world turnover under the GDPR. If Honista is serious about providing this type of privacy they need to work within the legal framework in which everyone else operates.
Honista's emphasis on privacy may provide advantages to users who want stock data without revealing too much of their activities. But if you want to know how effective the app is, that requires diving into some of its data handling and privacy law abidance. These are all things users would have to balance when deciding if Honista was privacy enough for them. Check out Honista for more information and a break down of their features + privacy policies.