eSIM (PAYG) available in UK for sole use with instagram?

[AppleMango]

Hi people,

I’ve avoided social media like instagram so far. Lately, I’ve become more keen to get an account because of a few friends and social activities around cycling.

However, I’m quite “scared” of meta involved.
I have 2 eSIMs, 1x European and 1x UK. Both numbers are used with iMessage and WhatsApp and I expect instagram to be able to match those numbers with their data already collected.

Is there any way to keep a clean “instagram-account”? Like, is there any provider in the UK where I could get an eSIM just for the purpose to register it with instagram and not use it for anything else? Every time I google and research I can only find eSIMs that allow data but NO text. I think you need to be able to receive texts to verify your account.



Many thanks for your help and input!
Cheers

 

[AppleMango]

Push. Any input appreciated! Many thanks!

 

[hwojtek]

You can verify by other means and even if not sending, your mobile plan will always allow to receive texts, which is enough.

However, how do you expect a different SIM (eSIM) to prevent collecting data? It's the vast amount of data you provided already, a new phone number would be just added to this list. Meta can not read (at least Apple says so) your address book without your consent, so it will get the data from other sources and connections.

If you want to stay "clean", you'd need a separate device just for Instagram, without ever using any other app on it, linked to a new AppleID, with a new mobile number. And then you'd log into your IG account, add some friends and Meta would connect the dots anyway. It's a futile exercise.

 

[arkitect]

You can verify by other means and even if not sending, your mobile plan will always allow to receive texts, which is enough.

However, how do you expect a different SIM (eSIM) to prevent collecting data? It's the vast amount of data you provided already, a new phone number would be just added to this list. Meta can not read (at least Apple says so) your address book without your consent, so it will get the data from other sources and connections.

If you want to stay "clean", you'd need a separate device just for Instagram, without ever using any other app on it, linked to a new AppleID, with a new mobile number. And then you'd log into your IG account, add some friends and Meta would connect the dots anyway. It's a futile exercise.

Pretty much this.

Try as we might, it's a fool's errand these days trying to remain anonymous.

Everyone wants a bit of you…