instagramlogoInstagram has awarded a security researcher a $6,000 bug bounty payout after he found photos and private direct messages on the platform's servers that he had deleted more than a year ago (via TechCrunch).

Saugat Pokharel discovered that his content hadn't been removed in October after downloading a copy of his data from the photo-sharing app. Instagram introduced the download option two years ago to comply with the European Union's data privacy GDPR regulations.

Instagram said the reason Pokharel's information had never been entirely removed from its servers was down to a bug that it's now fixed.

"The researcher reported an issue where someone's deleted Instagram images and messages would be included in a copy of their information if they used our Download Your Information tool on Instagram," a spokesperson for Instagram told TechCrunch. "We've fixed the issue and have seen no evidence of abuse. We thank the researcher for reporting this issue to us."

The issue is almost identical to one that Twitter fixed last year, in which a security researcher discovered years-old messages in a file from an archive of data from an account that was no longer active.

Although the retrieval of deleted data was bug-related in both cases, it's worth remembering that when you opt to delete content from social media accounts, it can still hang around on company servers for some time.

Twitter says that accounts that are deactivated and deleted are removed along with all of their data after 30 days, while Instagram says it takes about 90 days for deleted data to be fully removed from its systems.

Top Rated Comments

-BigMac- Avatar
64 months ago
Haha another convenient “bug”, not deleting peoples privacy. Isnt this some sort of breach?
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
architect1337 Avatar
64 months ago
Very easy to fix.

While (RequestForDownload == TRUE; DO
IF (OBJECT == 'MarkedForDeletion')
THEN ExcludefromDownload==TRUE;
DONE
END;
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calstanford Avatar
64 months ago
F...ing Facebook is even worse. I deleted all my images from way back when and GUESS WHAT. It shows me images from 10 years ago in their "Remember this" section
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
12643 Avatar
64 months ago
The bug isn’t that they failed to delete the photos; that behavior is intentional. The bug is including the evidence in your data download.

Just read their own words “The researcher reported an issue where someone's deleted Instagram images and messages would be included in a copy of their information if they used our Download Your Information tool on Instagram”
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
martyjmclean Avatar
64 months ago

F...ing Facebook is even worse. I deleted all my images from way back when and GUESS WHAT. It shows me images from 10 years ago in their "Remember this" section
Instagram and Facebook are the same company...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ruka.snow Avatar
64 months ago
Yet we are all up in arms over TikTok when it is these American companies that keep getting caught doing scummy things.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Foldable iPhone Display Production Begins Ahead of Launch Next Year

Wednesday July 9, 2025 10:59 pm PDT by
Production of foldable OLED displays for Apple's first foldable iPhone have begun ahead of its expected launch next year, Korea's ETNews reports. The first foldable iPhone's displays are being produced by Samsung Display, who are establishing a production line dedicated to the upcoming Apple device its A3 factory in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do. The production line will make displays exclusively...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...