Instacart
Summary
Instacart is a grocery delivery service that offers same-day delivery from a variety of major grocery stores in urban and suburban areas. The service can be accessed through a mobile app or through the browser on any device.
Breach History
Has there ever been a breach or data leak?
Date of last breach
July 2020
Personal data of 279,000 Instacart users such as names, the last four digits of credit card numbers, order histories, and email addresses were found for sale on the dark web in July 2020. Maplebear claimed that it was not aware of a data breach at the time.
Privacy Checklist
Is any kind of biometric data collected (health, heart, voice, etc.)?
Are you able to delete your data / the data collected about you?
Does it use cookies, telemetry, or third-party tracking scripts?
Is the privacy policy user-friendly (easy to understand)?
Does it have parental controls?
Does it use encryption to protect your data both in-transit and at-rest?
Does it get regular software and / or firmware updates?
Does it require you to create a strong password?
Is there a system in place for managing security vulnerabilities?
Does it have a privacy policy?
How Can It Snoop?
Does it have a camera or request / require access to a camera?
Does it have a microphone or request / require access to a microphone?
Does it track your location or request / require access to location data?
Account Requirements
Does it require an email address to use?
Does it require a phone number to use?
Does it require an address (home or office) to use?
Payment Options
Are you able to use a credit card as a payment option?
Are you able to use a cryptocurrency as a payment option?
Are you able to use PayPal as a payment option?
Are you able to use cash or gift cards as a payment option?
What Could Go Wrong?
Maplebear collects information from its customers such as name, email, ZIP code, address, phone number, birth date, credit card information, and IP address. This information may be provided to service providers, retail partners, and to offer customized content such as advertising, coupons, and promotions. Be aware of these risks before using this service.
How Does It Share Your Data?
Maplebear may share your personal information with retail and business partners or on a non-personally identifiable basis.
Good Things
- Available throughout the United States and Canada.
- Same-day delivery is available.
- Partners with several large grocery store chains.
Bad Things
- Poor selection of produce.
- Not available in rural areas.
- May be more expensive than in-store prices.
Final Thoughts
Instacart is a very convenient service to use if you do not want to leave your house during the pandemic. The company collects a decent amount of personal information from its users but does not share it aside from service providers or business partners. However, Instacart suffered a data breach in July of 2020 and denied its existence, and does not appear to have taken steps to remedy the situation since then. Be aware of this before using this service.