Instagram has confirmed that it will soon unveil a feature that allows you to download all your personal information on the app including every photo you’ve uploaded.
The feature is being implemented ahead of the GDPR data privacy law that will enforce new, greater controls for users over their data online.
In a statement to TechCrunch the spokesperson said: “We are building a new data portability tool. You’ll soon be able to download a copy of what you’ve shared on Instagram, including your photos, videos and messages.”
Remarkably, Instagram doesn’t offer any feature like this other than the option to save a copy of the image at the moment you upload it to Instagram.
If you don’t have this feature turned on however there is actually no way to re-download your photos back to your phone short of taking a screenshot of the entire screen.
Despite this fact, Instagram’s parent company has offered a ‘Download my data’ feature since 2010 which allows a person to download every piece of personal information that Facebook has on them including photos, videos and more.
While it might be fair to say that Instagram is somewhat lagging behind in offering this feature Facebook as a whole is starting to go above and beyond in others. Its founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced during a Congressional hearing this week that Facebook would be offering the same GDPR-compliant features to all its users globally, not just those in the EU where the law applies.