VERIFY | Comparing terms of service, privacy policies for Twitter, Threads

WASHINGTON — Tens of millions of people are using Threads as they flock to the latest challenger to Twitter. The WUSA9 VERIFY team is trying to learn as much as it can about the new app, especially as it relates to its rival.

THE QUESTION

Do Twitter and Threads have different policies for treating their users' content and data?

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

Large sections of their terms of service and privacy policies are similar, but variations exist, especially in how the two companies collect users' data

WHAT WE FOUND

While it is not the first direct challenger, Threads has attracted more attention than any other platform aiming to take users away from Twitter. Many users have turned to Bluesky, Mastadon, and others in response to changes made to Twitter since Elon Musk bought the platform. But with the backing of Instagram, owned (like Facebook) by Meta, Threads has grown faster than other Twitter competitors.

CONTENT

Both platforms say that any content posted belongs to the user, barring any copyright claims. But while they have ownership of their words, users lose a great deal of control as soon as they hit "post."

In its terms of service, Threads says, "you hereby grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide license to host, use, distribute, modify, run, copy, publicly perform or display, translate and create derivative works of your Threads Content."

Likewise, Twitter's terms of service states, "By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute such Content in any and all media or distribution methods now known or later developed (for clarity, these rights include, for example, curating, transforming, and translating)."

That is how, for example, tweeted reviews can end up in commercials for movies, video games, or fast food restaurants.

Both platforms allow users to delete posts. Threads adds that if you want to delete content, it might remain on the platform's servers for 90 days or more before it is fully gone.

DATA

Both Threads and Twitter collect data about who users are, where they are, their friends, and their interests.

They each mention collecting data that users provide as part of their profiles, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and locations. They also gather credit card information if users make payments through their platforms; collect data about users' interests based on the links they click and posts they interact with; and harvest information about the users' devices whether they are logged in or not.

Threads and Twitter both share data with advertisers, partners, and law enforcement during investigations.

Twitter's privacy policy states that data is used in multiple ways, including improving its services; fostering safety and security; measuring and analyzing the effectiveness of its products; and communicating with users about changes to service.

Meta also says it shares data with researchers to support the public good. It lists natural disaster management, advancing technology, and understanding how social media impacts elections and democracy as some of the study areas for which it will share user data.

Twitter says it collects the content of users' direct messages.

Threads does not have that feature yet, but Meta says it does not use the content of users' private Instagram or Facebook messages for targeted advertising.