Data privacy has become the focus of quite a bit of debate lately. Following Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal, many users have become concerned about how companies handle their data online.
While many companies are likely waiting for user worries to dissipate, some companies have taken steps to address the situation. For example, Firefox developer Mozilla recently released their "Facebook Container" browser extension which aims to prevent the social media platform from tracking your general web activity.
Even Instagram jumped on the bandwagon. Earlier this month, we reported the platform would be offering their users the ability to download all the shared data Instagram holds on to, including archived stories, shared photos and videos, profile information and comments.
Now, the company has officially rolled this tool out, aptly naming it the "Data Download" tool. The tool is currently only available to web users; iOS and Android versions are still in the works.
According to TechCrunch, to use the tool you simply need to visit your privacy settings within Instagram's web app. The outlet claims it can take "a few hours to days" for your download to be ready, however.
Although Instagram's decision is likely little more than an attempt to comply with upcoming EU GDPR "data portability" privacy laws, the end result will benefit users nonetheless.
Should a viable Instagram alternative pop up in the near future, users will theoretically be able to transfer their data over without being locked into Instagram's ecosystem.