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You Can Now Delete Threads And Keep Your Instagram Account
Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, announced the update, which allows users to delete a Threads profile without affecting their Instagram account.
Meta’s micro-blogging platform Threads, a rival to Elon Musk’s X, went live in July and has already gained popularity. However, users have complained about several missing features, not least of which is that the site only lets you remove your profile by completely deleting your main Instagram account.
Now, Instagram head Adam Mosseri has announced a much-requested update that rectifies the issue, allowing users to delete their Threads profiles without interfering with their Instagram accounts. The update can be accessed by going to Settings > Account > Delete or Deactivate Profile. There, users can select delete to completely remove their Threads account.
Threads is also rolling out another update that gives users more control over who can view their posts across Meta’s other social platforms. Currently, posts on Threads also appear on Instagram and Facebook, but you’ll soon be able to opt out by accessing the Privacy section in the Settings menu.
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Threads has recently been criticized for excessive data collection — a concern shared by users of Meta’s other apps. Despite a record-breaking July 2023 launch that made it the fastest app to reach 100 million downloads, the platform has also struggled with user retention.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained to employees that the company was focused on improving user retention. “Obviously, if you have more than 100 million people sign up, it would be awesome if all of them or even half of them stuck around. We’re not there yet, ” he said.
News
Lebanon Ministers Meet Visa Over National Digital Payment Platform
Finance and technology ministers say a comparative study and roadmap will follow before any decision on adopting a model.
Lebanon’s finance and technology ministers met representatives from Visa last week to discuss a proposed unified national digital payment platform for government services, according to a readout from the Ministry of Finance.
The meeting brought together Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadeh, a Visa delegation, and experts from both ministries. Discussion focused on whether Lebanon could establish a single platform through which citizens and institutions would pay taxes, fees, fines and other official transactions electronically, using mobile phones and other digital channels.
The Visa delegation presented examples from countries that have adopted unified government payment platforms, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Estonia and Jordan. According to the readout, the examples were presented as having increased collection rates and expanded financial inclusion.
Talks covered settlement mechanisms, direct transfer to the treasury account, financial reconciliation, risk management, cybersecurity, fees, and an operational model that would involve the private sector. The parties agreed to continue technical and institutional consultations, prepare a comparative study, and develop an implementation roadmap before any decision on adopting a model for Lebanon.
Jaber said the Ministry of Finance had already enabled citizens to pay using credit cards and e-wallets through transfer companies, but described the proposed platform as a further step. He framed the development of electronic payment and collection systems as a priority within the ministry’s modernization plan.
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Shehadeh outlined the citizen-facing concept as a single mobile application through which users could settle obligations to ministries, government institutions and other bodies.
“The idea, in short, is that any citizen downloads an application on their mobile phone, through which they can pay all service obligations for all ministries, government institutions, or those owned by the Lebanese state, and others as well, as the platform is not limited only to state institutions,” he said.
Shehadeh added that the platform would not displace banks and money transfer companies that currently provide collection services to the state, calling it complementary to their work.
