The Kaspersky 2025 social media privacy ranking report provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of 15 leading social media platforms, focusing on their data collection, privacy settings, use of user content for AI training, and history of regulatory fines, including GDPR violations. The platforms analyzed include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, Pinterest, Quora, Twitch, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter). The report highlights that none of the platforms achieve ideal privacy standards. Pinterest and Quora emerge as leaders due to minimal data collection and strong privacy defaults, while Facebook and TikTok rank lowest due to aggressive data harvesting, extensive sharing with third parties, and significant fines for privacy violations. The study also reveals that most platforms use user-generated content for AI training, with only a few offering opt-out options. Data collected ranges from basic profile information to sensitive data such as geolocation, device identifiers, and in-app activity, often shared with advertising partners. Privacy settings vary widely, with some platforms offering robust controls and others providing minimal options or poor default settings. The report underscores the complexity of privacy risks on social media, emphasizing that users rarely choose platforms based on privacy considerations. Although no direct technical vulnerability or exploit is identified, the pervasive and often opaque data collection practices represent a significant privacy threat vector, potentially enabling profiling, targeted attacks, or regulatory non-compliance. The report recommends users and organizations review and adjust privacy settings and remain vigilant about data exposure risks.

For European organizations, the implications of this privacy-focused threat are multifaceted. The extensive data collection and sharing practices of popular social media platforms increase the risk of personal data exposure, potentially leading to regulatory penalties under GDPR and other European privacy laws. Organizations that rely on social media for marketing, recruitment, or customer engagement must be aware of the privacy risks their employees and customers face. Data misuse or breaches originating from social media platforms can damage organizational reputation and lead to legal liabilities. Furthermore, the use of user content for AI training without explicit consent raises ethical and compliance concerns. The broad user base of platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn in Europe means that a large number of individuals are potentially affected, increasing the attack surface for social engineering, phishing, and identity theft. The lack of uniform privacy settings and opt-out mechanisms complicates risk management. European organizations must therefore integrate social media privacy considerations into their cybersecurity and data protection strategies to mitigate indirect risks stemming from these platforms.

European organizations should implement targeted measures beyond generic advice to mitigate risks associated with social media privacy practices: 1) Conduct regular audits of social media accounts used by employees and the organization to ensure privacy settings are configured to the most restrictive levels by default. 2) Develop and enforce social media usage policies that limit the sharing of sensitive organizational or personal data on these platforms. 3) Provide training to employees on the privacy implications of social media use, including risks related to data collection, AI training, and third-party data sharing. 4) Utilize privacy assessment tools, such as Kaspersky’s Privacy Checker, to monitor and adjust privacy settings proactively. 5) Where possible, prefer platforms with stronger privacy reputations (e.g., Pinterest, Quora, Twitch) for organizational social media activities. 6) Monitor regulatory developments and fines related to social media privacy to anticipate compliance risks. 7) Implement technical controls such as endpoint security solutions to detect and prevent data leakage via social media applications. 8) Encourage minimal use of personal devices for accessing social media in professional contexts to reduce data exposure. 9) Engage with legal and compliance teams to ensure social media data practices align with GDPR and other relevant regulations. 10) Consider the privacy implications of AI training on user-generated content and advocate for transparent opt-out mechanisms where applicable.