Instagram is a popular social media platform used by over 1 billion people each day. Yes, that’s “billion” with a “B!” And for good reason – it’s an easy way for people to share their photos and videos with friends and of course family. Unfortunately, all of this sharing can open the door to privacy problems from hackers and cyber crooks who like to prey on innocent people.
Like other social media platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, and many others, Instagram tracks your activity. Facebook, for example, will sell that information to advertisers under the premise of providing you with targeted ads that are more in line with what you like to shop for. While the premise is a good one, many people would prefer that those social media platforms not track your browsing and texting habits.
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Going Private on Instagram
Fortunately, if you don’t want Instagram to share your images and videos with the world, it really doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways to protect your privacy and stay secure by keeping your Instagram account safe. One of the most basic ways to protect yourself is to make your account private. Most Instagram accounts are public accounts, but by turning your account into a private one you can share your videos and photos with the people you really want to show images to while keeping them hidden from everyone else.
If you choose to go private, there are some steps you can take under “settings” to make your account a private one. First, you choose “Privacy and Security” and then click on “Account Privacy.” Once you change your settings, only people who are your existing followers can see your posts and images. Everyone else will have to send you a follow request to be able to see what you are posting.
Other times certain people become annoying or become a royal pain. If that happens, you can block specific followers from seeing what you post. The good news is they’ll never know that they’re blocked. Instead, they simply won’t be able to see your posts.
To go private, open the Instagram app on your phone and tap on the profile icon in the bottom right corner. Swipe left, and then tap the settings icon at the bottom of your screen. Click on “Privacy” and then select “Account Privacy,” then enable the “Private Account.” It’s that easy.
Deleting your Account
There may come a time when you want to delete your Instagram account. The good news is that it’s not that complicated. Just log into your account, and scroll to the “Delete My Account” link. Enter the reason you’re deleting your account using the drop-down menu. You’ll be asked to re-enter your password, and then click on “Permanently Delete My Account” at the bottom of the screen. That’s all there is to it – your Instagram is permanently removed.
If you want to save all of the information you’ve entered on Instagram before you permanently delete your account, click on the app and go to “Settings.” Scroll to the “Security “ tab, look for “Data and History”, and then click on “Download Data.” Enter your password, and you’ll get an email with a link that will let you download all of your data. For a comprehensive look at how it’s all done make sure to check the complete guide on how to delete Instagram account.
Here are some other privacy issues with Instagram:
Avoiding Hackers
Sometimes, people log on to your Instagram account pretending to be you and steal your data, images, and just about anything else on your device. Either they’ve hacked your password or you accidentally left it somewhere. To prevent this from happening, you can opt for two-factor authentication.
When you choose this option, Instagram will send you a text message on your smartphone that has an authentication code each time you log into your account on a new device. In order to complete your login process, you’ll have to enter that code.
You can also check to see if someone has hacked into your Instagram account. Simply view your past account activity, your logins, logouts, and whether there has been a request to change a password that you didn’t submit. You’ll find this under “Privacy and Security” under your Instagram settings.
Third-Party App Issues
You may not be aware of this, but there is a tremendous amount of third-party apps that ask to gain access to all of your Instagram data. For example, there’s an app that schedules Instagram posts automatically. Before you click “yes” to allow this access to your data, remember that the more vendors who have access to private info about you, the greater the chance that the information can be stolen or used inappropriately.
If you’ve already given apps access to your data, it’s easy to revoke that access. Log into your Instagram account, tap the profile icon on the top right corner, and click on the “settings” icon. Then, click on the “Authorized apps” on the left-hand side. Scroll through the apps listed and then click on “Revoke Access” on the ones you want to be removed, and then tap “Yes.” That’s it!
Keeping your Profile and Location Private
There are two things that should remain private on your Instagram account: your location, and your profile information. The best approach is to not put too much private information in your profile. And for an extra measure of privacy, never show your Activity Status – which reveals the last time you were active on Instagram.
Keeping your location private is another way to keep your info secure and out of the hands of identity thieves. To do this, make sure that your location services for Instagram is turned off. Also, avoid check-ins, as it tips off thieves that you’re on holiday and lets them know that nobody is home.
Take Control of Photo Tags
If someone decides to post an embarrassing photo with you on Instagram, it may be a problem if family or friends see it. To avoid this type of situation, always manually approve each tag on any social media platform. With regard to Instagram, you’ll need to activate the option that allows you to manually add photos that you’ve been tagged into your profile.
Simply tap your profile account and access the “Photos of You” area. Tap the menu button at the top-right corner of the screen, and choose the option to “add photos manually” to your profile. You should also hide any Instagram Stories from certain people, or don’t allow people the opportunity to share your stories with their own followers. Just go to the Options menu, scroll to “Story Settings” and just the Instagram slider for “Maximum Privacy.” That’s all there is to it!
Staying safe on Instagram doesn’t take a lot of effort, but if you follow the suggestions in this article, your Instagram experience will be a positive one.
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