How To Spam Someones Instagram? The 80 Top Answers

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To text bomb someone, which means spam their phone with messages, first select a friend from your contacts to prank. Then enter a random letter or emoji and click send. Keep typing the letter or emoji and send to spam your friend’s phone with dozens of messages. Alternatively, you can send a longer message, e.g. B. the lyrics of a song your friend hates or a funny message by texting word by word to keep his phone vibrating or alert him. If you want to send the same message over and over again, copy and paste the message and continue sending. For more tips, including when to time your text bomb, read on!

Having your Instagram account hacked is a serious situation – there is no guarantee that you can recover a hacked Instagram account. And even if you eventually regain control, the account recovery process is time-consuming and frustrating.

Using Instagram to promote your business, sell products, and connect with your fans can mean missing access to a major social media channel for days. And since many hackers use Instagram account to scam other Instagram users, you risk losing trust of your audience.

It’s crucial to be proactive in protecting your account and knowing how to act quickly if hackers slip past your defenses.

Start with a strong password

Your childhood pet’s name paired with a ! and your area code may meet Instagram’s password requirements, but it’s far from being a strong password. If your password is easy to remember, chances are it’s also easy to hack.

Consider using password manager tools like 1Password and LastPass, which automatically generate random, complex passwords and store them in a virtual vault protected by encryption and multiple layers of authentication. All of this is a technical way of saying that your passwords are locked behind (virtual) doors that would make a pirated movie hacker sweat. Password managers are a win-win – you get strong passwords without having to remember a long stream of gibberish for every app or website you use.

Use two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication puts another barrier between hackers and your Instagram account. If someone gets your password and tries to log in from an unknown device or location, they’ll be asked to verify their identity with an authentication code.

To set up two-factor authentication, open your Instagram profile on mobile or desktop and go to Settings, Security, then Two-Factor Authentication. From there you can either select text messaging or an authenticator app.

To set up two-factor authentication on Instagram, go to Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication

Instagram recommends authentication apps like Google Authenticator or Auth0 as they are specifically designed for this purpose and are therefore more secure than text messages. Think of it this way: how many devices have access to your text messages? For example, if you’re an iCloud user, your text messages might also show up on your iPad or laptop.

Once you’ve chosen an authentication method, the app also provides several backup codes in case you lose access to your authentication method. Take a screenshot of your backup codes and save them in a safe place, e.g. B. a password-protected cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox.

Monitor third-party apps

Third-party access isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s important to keep an eye on which apps are connected to your Instagram account. To check if third-party apps have access to your Instagram, go to your Instagram settings, then Security, then Apps and websites.

To check third-party apps on Instagram, go to Settings > Security > Apps & websites

If you use a third-party tool for Instagram analytics or to schedule Instagram posts, you’ll see those connections here. When deciding whether or not to keep a connection, ask yourself: is this tool safe on its own, and does this connection help keep my Instagram account safe? For example, a Buffer connection allows you to give multiple people access to analytics and scheduling without ever having to share your Instagram password. Plus, Buffer supports two-factor authentication, so your Buffer account is secure as well.

Watch out for apps and websites that don’t require regular access to your account. It’s easy to use Instagram to log into another app or make a purchase and then forget you granted access. Make sure to check regularly to avoid piling up suspicious third-party apps and revoke access if in doubt.

Keep in mind that some third-party tools are inherently risky. For example, apps that use bulk automation, such as following/unfollowing accounts, pose both a security risk and a Terms of Service risk – Instagram flags accounts that use bulk automation and may shut them down.

Learn how to spot phishing messages

Phishing — deceptive communications designed to trick people into revealing sensitive information — is one of the most common ways to hack an Instagram account.

Phishers sneak into your DMs with official-sounding messages. Scammers often pose as an Instagram support account or Instagram copyright help and try to convince you that there is an urgent need to share personal information. Never reply to these messages and never click on links. The Instagram Creators account shared a warning about these types of DMs:

Emails from Instagram built right into the app are only an official way for Instagram to contact you. You can view your email by going to Settings, then Security, then Emails from Instagram, or check your inbox for emails from [email protected].

How to recover a hacked Instagram account

If you suspect that your Instagram account has been hacked, there are several steps you need to follow to regain control of your account.

Hackers usually change your password right away, but sometimes you get lucky and you can still access your account using a saved login. If that’s the case, change your password immediately and enable all of the security precautions we discussed in the previous section.

If you can’t sign in, check your inbox for an email from [email protected]. Instagram may contact you if suspicious activity is detected. If caught early, changes can be reversed.

You can also request a login link from Instagram by selecting “Help Sign In” on an Android device or “Forgot Password” on an iPhone. If the login link doesn’t work, you’ll need to request a security code. After that, Instagram will ask you to verify your identity by submitting a photo of yourself holding a piece of paper with the security code written on it.

Sounds pretty complicated, right? Unfortunately, the process is both complex and time-consuming. Instagram also does not guarantee account recovery, which is why we strongly recommend being proactive about the security of your Instagram account.

Managing Instagram requires good security measures

Don’t jeopardize your hard work with weak passwords or lax security. Set up your security measures early so you can focus on creating and sharing great content for your audience.

You and your team can manage your Instagram posts, stories, and analytics directly in Buffer without jeopardizing your Instagram account. Get started today with a 14-day trial.

Wondering how many reports does it take to ban an account from Instagram? It can be frustrating to report an Instagram account for breaking the rules and see that the account is still active. There is no specific number of complaints that will guarantee account removal – accounts are disabled due to multiple violation warnings. While Instagram keeps its termination thresholds private, this wikiHow article will teach you everything you need to know about how reports and violations can affect your Instagram account status.

Nếu có tài khoản Instagram, bạn có thể báo cáo trang cá nhân hoặc nội dung trên Instagram không tuân thủ Nguyên tắc cộng đồng

Hiện tại, bạn có thể báo cáo bài viết vì bất kỳ lý do nào sau đây:

spam

Ảnh khỏa thân hoặc hoạt động tình dục

Biểu tượng hoặc ngôn từ gây thù ghét

Tổ chức nguy hiểm hoặc bạo lực

Hành vi bắt nạt hoặc quấy rối

Việc bán hàng hóa phi pháp hoặc thuộc diện kiểm soát

Vi phạm quyền sở hữu trí tuệ

Hành động tự tử/tự gây thương tích

Chứng rối loạn ăn uống

Hành vi lừa đảo hoặc gian lận

Thông tin sai sự thật

Bạn cũng có thể báo cáo trang cá nhân đăng nội dung không nên đăng, giả mạo người khác hoặc trang cá nhân của trẻ em dưới 13 tuổ. Tìm hiểu cách báo cáo binh luận hoặc cách báo cáo tin nhắn

Lưu ý rằng báo cao của bạn sẽ ẩn danh, trừ khi bạn báo cao vi phạm quyền sở hữu trí tuệ. Tài khoản mà bạn báo cáo sẽ không thấy ai đã báo cáo họ.

Có nhiều cách để báo cáo điều gì đó hoặc ai đó trên ứng dụng Instagram dành cho Android và iPhone:

Báo cáo bài viết thông qua Nguồn cấp dữ liệu Báo cáo bài viết thông qua Nguồn cấp dữ liệu Nhấn vào (iPhone) hoặc (Android) bên trên bài viết. Nhấn vào Báo cao. Làm theo hướng dẫn trên màn hình.

Báo cáo ai đó thông qua trang cá nhân của họ báo cáo ai đng qua trang cá nhân của họ nhấn vào tên người dùng của họ trên bảng tin, bài viết cót đoạn chat vớo. Bạn cũng có thể nhấn vào và tìm kiếm tên người dùng để đi đến trang cá nhân của họ. Nhấn vào (iPhone) hoặc (Android) ở trên cùng bên phải trang cá nhân. Nhấn vào Báo cao. Làm theo hướng dẫn trên màn hình.

Cũng có nhiều cách để báo cáo nội dung nào đó hoặc ai đó trên Instagram.com từ máy tính hoặc trình duyệt di động:

Báo cáo bài viết thông qua Nguồn cấp dữ liệu Chọn Báo cáo và làm theo hướng dẫn trên màn hình.

Báo cáo ai đó thông qua trang cá nhân của họ báo cáo ai đng qua trang cá nhân của họ nhấn vào tên người dùng mà bạn báo cáo trên bảng tin hoặc bà hoặ tin hoặt tên người dùng để đi đến trang cá nhân của họ. Nhấp/nhấn vào bên cạnh tên người dùng đó. Chọn Báo cáo người dùng, sau đó chọn loại tài khoản bạn muốn báo cáo và làm theo hướng dẫn trên màn hình.

Nế không có tài khoản instagram, bạn cóo cáo hành vi lạm dụng, spam hoặ điều gì khác không tu ủ nguyêêê foreng ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ đi

Words by Micah Avry Guiao

We saw it on Instagram — an obscure account with three times as many photos as followers, an icon meant to impress no one, and a bio description made up of an inside joke.

Dump accounts, or better known as finsta (a portmanteau of the words fake and Instagram), have actually been around since late 2015, since Instagram introduced its easily accessible account switching tab. However, it’s only been a year since I noticed that the rising trend is causing people on my campus to do their own finstas.

However, it has yet to break into the mainstream. So what is a dump account?

Dump accounts are pretty self-explanatory – this is where you dump a large sum of photos into one account. This can range from one to multiple posts per day. Anyone savvy with social media knows that uploading too much to their main Instagram account usually guarantees eye rolls from followers. This is where Finstas come in, where you have all the leeway to constantly document incidents in your life without being overbearing or irritating.

What is posted in a dump account is not meant for everyone to see. This is where we post photos that don’t quite make it into our main feed. Sometimes we just want to share something online without your acquaintances or relatives questioning your sanity. Screenshots of text conversations, memes, and embarrassing drunk pics also belong here. To some extent, it’s an even more unfiltered version of a Snapchat story (because let’s face it — how many times do we really post a Snap in one take?).

Funnily enough, there is nothing “fake” about Finstas.

In the main Instagram accounts, we showcase this public persona/image to bring out the best versions of ourselves. It features food porn photos, model outfits, vacation pics, and scenic vistas—all beautifully curated and some even color-coded to present the perfect feed. God knows how many shots it took to get those Instagram worthy posts.

Finstas and dump account traders, on the other hand, practice follower curation. Most if not all Finstas are protected or blocked, meaning only a select few (usually a following of no more than two digits) can see their content.

Interestingly, those who own one often neglect their main account. They, too, seem tired of maintaining a certain image. Some just get tired of finding the perfect shot and instead shift their focus to expressing themselves. Social media is no longer a foreign word for us today. It’s no longer imperative to make an impression — at least not as tedious and critical as it used to be.

Ultimately, finstas and dump accounts are not meant to impress anyone. It’s about deconstructing walls, removing filters and sharing small, tiny moments every day that make up a lifetime.

Do you also have a Finsta/Dump account? What is your reason for creating one? Let us know in the comments below!

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What does :F mean?

“Cyber ​​Speak” test

This test has questions.

Questions. You get at least 5 points for a correct answer.

You get bonus points for answering the questions quickly.

However, be careful. Wrong answers bring 0 points.

The maximum score is . scoring system

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I know all about icons. test me! I know all about icons. test me!

Key Points Summary Drooling is the most common definition of :F on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. :F Definition: Drooling Type: Icon Guess:

4: Hard to guess Typical users:

Adults and Teens “Drooling” is the most common definition for Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

Example of :F used in a text

:F

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:F means “drool”. You know what that means now, but are you good at Cyber ​​Speak? Alright, let’s check!

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If you are reading this article, your Instagram account has probably been blocked and you cannot follow, like or comment on other users. In this case, you will see the message “Action blocked” when you try to perform any of these actions. However, it is fundamentally different from “Instagram lock” which does not allow you to log into your account.

The question is, why does Instagram prevent its users from performing certain actions at certain times? How to avoid getting banned? And how to unblock your Instagram account? Here we will fully talk about this topic and answer two main questions:

Why does Instagram suspend an account? How can you unblock your Instagram account?

So, if you have faced this problem, read on.

Why does Instagram suspend an account?

Instagram is rigid in many cases; especially if he believes an account is spamming (i.e. creating useless information, harassing other users, or even creating fake accounts). It’s so rigid that it even bans accounts that look like spammers. By blocking, we mean restricting a user’s access to actions such as commenting, liking, and following other users.

So the rule of thumb here is to avoid doing too much activity to get more new followers and sending too many messages that might bother other users.

Note that Instagram automatically detects violations.

Therefore, sometimes your account gets blocked due to some minor or unintentional error. The worst thing is that there is no way to find out the reason for your account being banned. Instagram neither warns the user nor explains the reasons to its users.

As you can see, a small mistake can get you banned without knowing the reason! But no worry! In this article, we are going to talk about different reasons for getting banned and also the ways to get your account unbanned.

You may have seen this error when trying to log into your Instagram account:

“Instagram account is currently blocked, please go to Instagram app or website to solve the problem.”

You may encounter some other issues that you think an action is blocked, such as: B. Instagram DMs not working. However, many of these problems are related to Instagram errors, not your account.

Why did Instagram ban my account?

First, let’s take a close look at the reasons why Instagram might block you. By reading these reasons, you can avoid getting banned and rest assured that this type of problem will never arise with your account. If your Instagram account has already been blocked, find the reason below and go to the next part to unlock your Instagram.

Instagram is down

You may see this error: “Instagram account is currently suspended. Please go to the Instagram app or website to fix the problem.” due to new Instagram updates. So, to make sure Instagram is down, you can go to downdetector.com tool and check if Instagram is down right now. If you see Down status, it’s better to wait a few hours or days and then try again.

You broke Instagram rules

Ignoring Instagram rules is another reason for blocking. Read Instagram’s policies to make sure your activities don’t violate their rules. If your account is new, Instagram has blocked your account from further actions.

You liked a bunch of posts at once

Liking too many other Instagram posts can also get them blocked from Instagram. Instagram considers it spamming since some people want as many posts as possible for people to notice. According to Instagram rules, you can like a maximum of 350 photos and videos in one hour. We strongly recommend observing this rule.

You have exceeded the number of the following people

Following too many accounts is also considered spam activity and, in turn, Instagram would consider you a spammer. If you’ve been following too many people lately, this could be the reason. From now on, don’t follow more than 20 people in an hour. Also note that you can follow a maximum of 7500 people; So don’t be in a hurry to follow other users.

They behave like a bot (repeating actions)

If you use repetitive posts, emojis, and comments, Instagram will block you as soon as it finds out and won’t let you post or comment; but how long? Nobody knows!

According to other users who have had similar experiences, if you received the action blocked message, Instagram can block you for a few hours to even a few weeks.

You’ve mentioned others too many times

The other reason that can cause Instagram to get blocked is mentioning other users too much. Don’t mention other users very often in your posts and comments. Again, this is a matter of repetition and overuse. This is especially important when mentioning people who are not in your “followers” list. Refrain from doing this as much as possible if you want to protect your account.

They use third party bots or apps to get followers or likes

You probably know that there are bots that follow other users, like their posts and leave comments on them on behalf of your account. For example, one of these bots is the Instamber bot to increase the number of followers. Although these bots are very effective to increase your follower count, it is better to use them properly; You must be careful when using them.

To make sure Instagram doesn’t block you for using bots, there are two things you need to keep in mind. When running a bot, first limit its activities (e.g. 15 or 20 likes seem good for a certain amount of time). Second, choose a bot that performs a variety of tasks like a real person. These two features have been incorporated into the Instamber bot.

You do not have enough posts in your Instagram account

You may have recently created an account, but now you can’t like or comment on a post. The reason is that since you don’t have a post in your account yet, Instagram would consider you a fake user. So make sure you post some photos on your profile. 10 posts might be good to start with. DO NOT post them all at once, instead post them one at a time over time.

Your biography is not complete

Haven’t filled out your profile information yet? Does your account not have a profile picture or bio? If this is the case, Instagram can consider your account as a fake user and block it. In order to unblock your Instagram account as soon as possible, you need to complete the information in your profile.

You have published too many posts in a Raw

do you post sequentially So, this could be the reason why you get blocked on Instagram. Instagram considers accounts that publish too many posts in a limited period of time as spammers and may block them. A simple fix is ​​to have a schedule and avoid over-posting.

My Instagram Account is Temporarily Banned (How to Unban it)

When Instagram blocks you, it takes 3 hours to even 4 weeks to unblock your account. Yes, it’s too long, so follow the above rules to avoid getting banned. But how can you speed up your account unlocking? To do this, you need to send a request to Instagram to verify your account again. As? Below we will introduce some methods to connect to Instagram.

Use Instagram “Tell Us”

If you get the message “Action blocked”, it means that your Instagram account is temporarily blocked. Press “Tell Us” to ask Instagram to unblock your account.

Most likely, after you click “Tell Us”, Instagram would like to ask you via your email to complete security information and then ask you to send your own photo to ensure that you are a real user. After sending the photo to Instagram, your account will be activated after a few days.

Report the blocked action to Instagram

Press the “Option” or “Setting” button on your Instagram profile (the icon in the top right corner of the screen), then scroll down and press “Report a problem”. Here you can report various issues to Instagram. From the available options, press “Something isn’t working”. Now fill out the form with an unlock request, mention that you are a real person and press submit.

Other Methods to Unblock Instagram Account

Edit your Instagram bio. Uninstall and reinstall Instagram on your phone. Note that you need to back up your information before uninstalling Instagram. And finally, the safest thing is to be patient. Instagram itself will unblock you after a while.

We have listed all the situations that can cause Instagram blocked and also provided some solutions to unblock your Instagram account. We hope you find them helpful. Please let us know in the comments section below if you found this article useful or have any other questions related to the Instagram ban.

If you break one or more of Instagram’s rules, your page will be shadowbanned, which is one of the penalties. So you will be blocked for a certain period of time so that you cannot be found in your followers’ feed.

How to prevent Instagram from getting a shadow ban?

If Instagram bans you, none of your posts will appear on the explorer page, nor in any of the hashtags.

Maybe you are using unofficial Instagram apps that break the rules. To be safer, download and install the official apps from credible stores. They don’t take into account Insta’s daily and hourly restrictions. Although these limitations may be different for everyone, publicly the limitations are as follows:

150 likes per hour

60 comments per hour

60 follows and 60 unfollows per hour

If you try to permanently ignore these restrictions, Insta can penalize you.

3. If you use unrelated hashtags or hashtags related to spam or illegal content, you will soon be penalized and this will decrease your page’s engagement rate.

4. Another reason would be Instagram users reporting you. It can be the number one reason that causes Instagram penalties. Try to avoid posting content that will lead users to report you.

Important note: Recent research shows that the main reason Insta blocks an account is to break the hourly restrictions and that is why many people try to use Insta automation tools to check these restrictions. So if you are using an Instagram bot, note that the bot should have the filter to check these restrictions and do not use any tools or bots without the above filters.

social media service

“Insta” redirects here. For the grocery delivery service, see Instacart. Find the song by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike on Instagram (song)

Instagram[a] is a photo and video sharing social network founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger and later acquired by the American company Facebook Inc., now known as Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media, which can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographic tags. Posts can be shared publicly or with pre-approved followers. Users can search other users’ content by tag and location, view trending content such as photos, and follow other users to add their content to a personal feed.[10]

Instagram was originally characterized by the fact that content could only be framed in a square (1:1) aspect ratio of 640 pixels to match the display width of the iPhone at the time. In 2015, this limitation was relaxed by increasing it to 1080 pixels. It also added messaging features, the ability to include multiple images or videos in a single post, and a Stories feature – similar to its main competitor Snapchat – that allowed users to post their content in a sequential feed, with each Post was accessible to others 24 hours. As of January 2019, Stories is used by 500 million people every day.[10]

Originally launched for iOS in October 2010, Instagram quickly gained popularity, with 1 million registered users in two months, 10 million in a year and 1 billion by June 2018.[11] In April 2012, Facebook Inc. acquired the service for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock. The Android version was released in April 2012, followed by a feature-limited desktop interface in November 2012, a Fire OS app in June 2014, and an app for Windows 10 in October 2016. As of October 2015, it had over 40 billion photos uploaded. Although Instagram is often admired for its success and influence, it has also been criticized for negatively affecting teen mental health, its policy and interface changes, its alleged censorship, and illegal and inappropriate content uploaded by users.

story

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Instagram

Instagram icon from 2016 to 2022

Instagram began development in San Francisco as Burbn, a mobile check-in app developed by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger.[12] Realizing that it was too similar to Foursquare, they refocused their app on photo sharing, which had become a popular feature among users.[13][14] They renamed it Instagram, a portmanteau of “instant camera” and “telegram.”[15]

2010–2011: Beginnings and major promotion

On March 5, 2010, Systrom closed a $500,000 seed funding round with Baseline Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz while he was working on Burbn. Josh Riedel joined the company in October as Community Manager,[17] Shayne Sweeney joined in November as Engineer,[17] and Jessica Zollman joined as Community Evangelist in August 2011.[17][18]

The first Instagram post was a photo of South Beach Harbor at Pier 38 posted by Mike Krieger at 5:26pm on July 16, 2010.[19][14] Systrom shared his first post, a picture of a dog and his girlfriend’s foot, a few hours later at 9:24 p.m. It was incorrectly credited as the first Instagram photo due to the earlier letter of the alphabet in its URL.[20][21][better source needed] On October 6, 2010, the Instagram iOS app was officially released through the App Store.[22 ]

In February 2011, it was reported that Instagram had received $7 million in Series A funding from various investors, including Benchmark Capital, Jack Dorsey, Chris Sacca (through the Capital fund), and Adam D’Angelo .[23] The deal valued Instagram at around $20 million.[24] In April 2012, Instagram raised $50 million from venture capitalists with a valuation of $500 million.[25] Joshua Kushner was the second-biggest investor in Instagram’s Series B funding round, leading his investment firm Thrive Capital to double its money after selling it to Facebook.[26]

On April 3, 2012, Instagram released a version of its app for Android phones[27][28] and it was downloaded more than a million times in less than a day.[29] The Android app has since received two major updates: first in March 2014, reducing the app’s file size in half and adding performance improvements;[30][31] then in April 2017 to add an offline mode that users allowed to view and interact with content without an internet connection. At the time of the announcement, it was reported that 80% of Instagram’s 600 million users were located outside the US, and while the above functionality was live when it was announced, Instagram also announced its intention to make more features available offline and that they are “exploring an iOS version”.[32][33][34]

On April 9, 2012, Facebook, Inc. purchased Instagram for $1 billion in cash and stock,[35][36][37] with plans to operate the company independently.[38][39][40 ] The UK Office of Fair Trading approved the deal on August 14, 2012[41] and on August 22, 2012 the US Federal Trade Commission closed its investigation, allowing the deal to proceed.[42] On September 6, 2012, the deal between Instagram and Facebook was officially closed for a purchase price of $300 million in cash and 23 million shares.[43]

According to CNN, the deal was completed shortly before Facebook’s planned IPO.[40] The transaction price was calculated using Yahoo! Paid for Flickr in 2005.[40] Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook was “committed to independently building and growing Instagram.”[40] According to Wired, the deal netted Systrom $400 million.[44]

In November 2012, Instagram launched Website Profiles, allowing anyone to view user feeds from a web browser with limited functionality[45] as well as a selection of badges, web widget buttons to link to profiles.[46]

Since the app’s launch, Foursquare API technology has been used to provide named location markers. In March 2014, Instagram began testing the technology and transitioning to using Facebook Places.[47][48]

2015-2017: Redesign and Windows app

In June 2015, the desktop site’s UI was redesigned to be flatter and more minimalistic, but with more screen real estate for each photo and to resemble Instagram’s mobile site layout.[49][50][51] In addition, a series of images has only three instead of five photos, matching the mobile layout. Removed the slideshow banner[52][53] at the top of profile pages that simultaneously showed seven image tiles with user-posted images alternating at different times in a random order. In addition, the formerly angular profile pictures became round.

In April 2016, Instagram released a Windows 10 Mobile app after years of requests from Microsoft and the public for an app for the platform.[54][55] The platform previously had a beta version of Instagram, which was first released for Windows Phone 8 on November 21, 2013.[56][57][58] The new app added support for videos (viewing and creating posts or stories and viewing live streams), album posts, and direct messages.[59] Similarly, an app for Windows 10 PCs and tablets was released in October 2016.[60][61] In May, Instagram updated its mobile site to allow users to upload photos and add a “lightweight” version of the Explore tab.[62][63]

On May 11, 2016, Instagram overhauled its design, adding a black and white flat design theme for the app’s UI and a less skeuomorphic, more abstract, “modern” and colorful icon.[64][65][66] Rumors of a redesign first circulated in April when The Verge received a screenshot from a tipster, but at the time an Instagram spokesperson simply told the publication it was just a concept.[67]

On December 6, 2016, Instagram introduced comment liking. However, unlike post likes, the user who has posted a comment will not receive notifications of comment likes in their notification inbox. Uploaders can optionally choose to disable comments on a post.[68][69][70]

The mobile web front end has enabled image uploads since May 4, 2017. Image filters and the ability to upload videos were not introduced back then.[71][72]

On April 30, 2019, the Windows 10 Mobile app was retired, although the mobile site is still available as a progressive web application (PWA) with limited functionality. The app remains available on Windows 10 computers and tablets and was also upgraded to a PWA in 2020.

2018–2019: IGTV, removal of like counter, management change

In April 2018, to comply with GDPR data portability regulations, Instagram introduced the ability for users to download an archive of their user data.[73][74][75]

IGTV was launched on June 20, 2018 as a standalone video application.

On September 24, 2018, Krieger and Systrom announced in a statement that they were stepping down from Instagram.[76][77] On October 1, 2018, it was announced that Adam Mosseri would be the new head of Instagram.[78][79]

During the Facebook F8, it was announced that Instagram would be testing the removal of publicly displayed like counts for content posted by other users, starting in Canada.[80] Like counts would only be visible to the user who originally posted the content. Mosseri explained that this is intended to help users “worry a little less about how many likes they get on Instagram and spend a little more time connecting with the people they care about.”[ 81][82] It was argued that a low number of likes relative to others could contribute to lower self-esteem among users.[82][80] The pilot started in May 2019 and was expanded to 6 more markets in July.[82][83] The pilot project was expanded worldwide in November 2019.[84] Also in July 2019, Instagram announced that it would implement new features aimed at reducing harassment and negative comments about the service.[85]

In August 2019, Instagram also began removing the Follows tab from the app, which had allowed users to view a feed of the likes and comments of users they follow. The change was made official in October, with product lead Vishal Shah stating that the feature was underutilized and that some users were “surprised” to find that their activity had surfaced this way.[86][87]

In October 2019, Instagram introduced a limit on the number of posts viewable in page scrolling mode unless you were logged in. Up until this point, public profiles were available to all users, even if they weren’t logged in. Posts a pop-up requiring the user to log in to continue viewing the content.[88][89][90]

2020-present: New features

In March 2020, Instagram launched a new feature called “Co-Watching”. The new feature allows users to share posts with each other via video calls. According to Instagram, they have been driving the adoption of co-watching to meet the demand for virtual connection with friends and family due to social distancing resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.[91]

In August 2020, Instagram began the video transition and introduced a new feature called “Reels”.[92][93][94] The intent was to compete with video-sharing site TikTok.[94][95][92] Instagram also added suggested posts in August 2020. After scrolling through posts from the past 48 hours, Instagram will display posts related to their interests from accounts they don’t follow.[96]

In February 2021, Instagram began testing a new feature called Vertical Stories, which some sources say is inspired by TikTok.[97] In the same month, they also began testing the removal of the ability to share feed posts with Stories.[98]

In March 2021, Instagram launched a new feature that allows four people to go live at the same time.[99] Instagram also announced that as part of a new set of child safety guidelines, adults would not be allowed to message unfollowing teens.

In May 2021, Instagram began allowing users in some regions to add pronouns to their profile page.[104][105]

On October 4, 2021, Facebook had its worst outage since 2008. The outage also affected other Facebook-owned platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp.[106][107] Security researchers may have identified the problem as DNS-related.[108]

On March 17, 2022, Zuckerberg confirmed plans to add non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to the platform.[109]

An original photo (left) is automatically cropped to a square by Instagram and given a filter upon user selection (right).

A photo collage of an unedited image (top left) modified with the 16 different Instagram filters available in 2011

Users can upload photos and short videos, follow other users’ feeds[110] and geotag images with the name of a place.[111] Users can set their account as “private”, which requires them to approve all new follower requests.[112] Users can connect their Instagram account to other social networking sites, allowing them to share uploaded photos on those sites.[113] In September 2011, a new version of the app included new and live filters, instant tilt-shift, high-resolution photos, optional frames, one-click rotation, and an updated icon. Photographs were originally limited to a 1:1 square aspect ratio; since August 2015 the app also supports aspect ratios in portrait and widescreen format.[116][117][118] Previously, users could view a map of a user’s geotagged photos. The feature was removed in September 2016 due to low usage.[119][120]

Since December 2016, contributions can be “saved” in a private area of ​​the app.[121][122] The feature was updated in April 2017 to allow users to organize saved posts into named collections.[123][124] Users can also “archive” their posts in a private storage area that is not visible to the public and other users. The move was seen as a way to prevent users from deleting photos that aren’t getting the desired number of “likes” or are considered boring, but also as a way to limit the “emerging behavior” of deleting photos, which deprives the service of content.[125][126] In August, Instagram announced it would organize comments into threads to make it easier for users to interact with replies.[127][128]

As of February 2017, up to ten images or videos can be included in a single post, with the content displayed as a swipeable carousel.[129][130] The feature originally limited photos to square, but was updated in August to allow portrait and landscape photos instead.[131][132]

In April 2018, Instagram introduced its version of a portrait mode called “Focus mode,” which gently blurs the background of a photo or video while keeping the subject sharp when selected.[133] In November, Instagram began supporting alt text to add descriptions of photos for the visually impaired. They are either generated automatically using object recognition (using existing Facebook technology) or specified manually by the uploader.[134]

On March 1, 2021, Instagram launched a new feature called Instagram Live “Rooms” Let Four People Go Live Together.[135]

In May 2021, Instagram announced a new video accessibility feature on Instagram Reels and Stories, allowing creators to add captions to their content.[136]

In January 2011, Instagram introduced hashtags to help users discover both photos and each other.[137][138] Instagram encourages users to make tags both specific and relevant rather than tagging generic words like “photo” to make photos stand out and attract like-minded Instagram users.[139]

Users on Instagram have created “trends” through hashtags. The trends considered the most popular on the platform often highlight a specific day of the week when the material is scheduled to be posted. Examples of popular trends include #SelfieSunday, where users post a photo of their face on Sundays; #MotivationMonday, where users post motivational photos on Mondays; #TransformationTuesday, in which users post photos highlighting differences between the past and the present; #WomanCrushWednesday, in which users post photos of women they have a romantic interest in or view positively, as well as its male-focused counterpart #ManCrushMonday; and #ThrowbackThursday, in which users post a photo from their past and highlight a specific moment.[140][141]

In December 2017, Instagram began allowing users to follow hashtags that display relevant highlights of the topic in their feeds.[142][143]

Discover

In June 2012, Instagram introduced “Explore,” a tab within the app that displays popular photos, photos taken in nearby locations, and a search.[144] The tab was updated in June 2015 to offer trending tags and locations, curated content and the ability to search for locations.[145] In April 2016, Instagram added a “Videos You Might Like” channel to the tab,[146][147] followed by an “Events” channel in August with videos of concerts, sports games and other live events,[148] [ 149] followed by the addition of Instagram Stories in October.[150][151] The tab was later expanded again in November 2016 following the launch of Instagram Live to display an algorithmically curated page of the “best” Instagram Live videos currently being aired.[152] In May 2017, Instagram again updated the Explore tab to promote public Stories content from nearby locations.[153]

Photographic filters

Instagram offers a range of photographic filters that users can apply to their images. In February 2012, Instagram added a “Lux” filter, an effect that “lightens shadows, darkens highlights, and increases contrast.”[154][155] In December 2014, five new filters were added to the Instagram filter family: Slumber, Crema, Ludwig, Aden, and Perpetua.[156]

Video

Originally a pure photo-sharing service, Instagram integrated 15-second video sharing in June 2013.[157][158] The addition was seen by some in the tech media as an attempt by Facebook to compete with then-popular video-sharing app Vine.[159][160] In August 2015, Instagram added support for widescreen videos.[161][162] In March 2016, Instagram increased the 15-second video limit to 60 seconds.[163][164] Albums were introduced in February 2017, allowing up to 10 minutes of video to be shared in one post.[129][130][165]

IGTV

IGTV is a vertical video application launched by Instagram[166] in June 2018. Basic functions are also available in the Instagram app and website. IGTV allows uploads up to 10 minutes in length with a file size of up to 650MB, while verified and popular users are allowed to upload videos up to 60 minutes in length with a file size of up to 5.4GB.[167] The app automatically starts playing videos as soon as it’s launched, which sets CEO Kevin Systrom apart from video hosts where you have to find a video first.[168][169][170]

roll

In November 2019, it was reported that Instagram had started piloting a new video feature called “Reels” in Brazil, which was subsequently expanded to France and Germany.[171] It is similar in functionality to the Chinese video-sharing service TikTok, with a focus on allowing users to record short videos overlaid on pre-existing sound clips from other posts.[172] Users could create videos up to 15 (later 30) seconds long using this feature.[173] Reels also integrates with existing Instagram filters and editing tools.[167]

In July 2020, Instagram launched Reels to India after TikTok was banned in the country.[174] The following month, Reels was officially launched in 50 countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.[175] Instagram recently introduced a reel button on the homepage.[176]

On June 17, 2021, Instagram launched full-screen ads in Reels. The ads are similar to normal reels and can run for up to 30 seconds. They are distinguished from regular content by the tag “sponsored” under the account name.[177]

Instagram direct

In December 2013, Instagram announced Instagram Direct, a feature that allows users to interact via private messages. Users who follow each other can send private messages with photos and videos, as opposed to the previously public-only requirement. When users receive a private message from someone they don’t follow, the message is marked as pending and the user must accept to see it. Users can send a photo to a maximum of 15 people.[178][179][180] The feature received a major update in September 2015 that added conversation threading and allowed users to share locations, hashtag pages, and profiles via private messages right from the news feed. Additionally, users can now reply to private messages with text, emojis, or by clicking a heart icon. A camera in Direct allows users to take a photo and send it to the recipient without leaving the conversation.[181][182][183] A recent update in November 2016 made users’ private messages “disappear” after being viewed by the recipient, with the sender receiving a notification when the recipient took a screenshot.[184][185]

In April 2017, Instagram redesigned Direct to consolidate all private messages, both persistent and short-lived, into the same message threads.[186][187][188] In May, Instagram allowed website links to be sent in messages and also added support for sending photos in their original portrait or landscape orientation without cropping.[189][190]

In April 2020, Direct became accessible through the Instagram website, allowing users to send direct messages from a web version using WebSocket technology.[191]

In August 2020, Facebook began merging Instagram Direct with Facebook Messenger. After the update (which will be rolled out to part of the user base), the Instagram Direct icon will change to the Facebook Messenger icon.[192]

In March 2021, as part of a new set of child safety policies, a feature was added to prevent adults from sending unfollowed messages to users under the age of 18.[100][101][102]

Instagram stories

In August 2016, Instagram launched Instagram Stories, a feature that allows users to take photos, add effects and layers, and add them to their Instagram story. Images uploaded to a user’s story expire after 24 hours. The media noted the feature’s similarities to Snapchat.[193][194] Responding to criticism that it copied functionality from Snapchat, CEO Kevin Systrom told Recode, “Day one: Instagram was a combination of Hipstamatic, Twitter [and] some things from Facebook like the ‘Like’ button. You can trace the roots of every feature that everyone has in their app somewhere in the history of technology”. Although Systrom saw the criticism as “fair”, Recode wrote that “he understood the common characteristics of the two social apps with the auto industry compared: Multiple car companies can co-exist with enough differences between them that they cater to different consumer demographics.” Systrom further explained, “When we accepted [Stories], we decided that one of the really annoying things about the format is that it just keeps going and you can’t pause to watch, you can’t rewind. We did it, we did all of that.” He also told the publication that Snapchat “originally didn’t have any filters. They adopted filters because Instagram had filters and many others were trying to adopt filters as well.”[195][196]

In November, Instagram added live video functionality to Instagram Stories, allowing users to broadcast themselves live with the video disappearing immediately after it ends.[197][152]

In January 2017, Instagram launched skippable ads, which feature 5-second photo and 15-second video ads between different stories.[198][199][200]

In April 2017, Instagram Stories integrated augmented reality stickers, a “clone” of Snapchat functionality.[201][202][200]

In May 2017, Instagram expanded the augmented reality stickers feature to support face filters, allowing users to add specific visual features to their faces.[203][204]

Later in May, TechCrunch reported testing a Location Stories feature in Instagram Stories, where public Stories content is assembled at a specific location and displayed on a business, attraction, or place’s Instagram page.[205] A few days later, Instagram announced “Story Search,” which allows users to search by geographic location or hashtag, and the app will display relevant public stories content using the search term.[153][206]

In June 2017, Instagram overhauled its live video functionality to allow users to add their live broadcast to their story to be available in the next 24 hours, or discard the broadcast immediately.[207] In July, Instagram began allowing users to react to Stories content by sending photos and videos with Instagram effects such as filters, stickers, and hashtags.[208][209]

Stories were made available for viewing on Instagram’s mobile and desktop websites in late August 2017.[210][211]

On December 5, 2017, Instagram introduced “Story Highlights”,[212] also known as “Permanent Stories”, which are similar to Instagram Stories but do not expire. They appear as circles below the profile picture and bio, and are also accessible through the desktop website.

As of June 2018, Instagram daily active story users had reached 400 million users and monthly active users had reached 1 billion active users.[213]

advertising

Emily White joined Instagram in April 2013 as Director of Business Operations.[214][215] She stated in a September 2013 interview with The Wall Street Journal that the company should be ready to start selling advertising by September 2014 in order to generate business with a popular company that had not yet turned a profit for its parent company .[216] White left Instagram in December 2013 to join Snapchat.[217][218] In August 2014, James Quarles became Instagram’s global head of business and brand development, tasked with overseeing advertising, sales efforts and the development of new “monetization products,” according to a spokesperson.[219]

In October 2013, Instagram announced that video and image ads would soon appear in feeds for users in the United States,[220][221] with the first image ads appearing on November 1, 2013.[222][223] Video ads followed almost a year later, on October 30, 2014.[224][225] In June 2014, Instagram announced the launch of ads in the UK, Canada and Australia,[226] with the ads launching in the autumn of that year.[227]

In March 2015, Instagram announced it would implement “carousel ads,” which would allow advertisers to display multiple images with options to link to additional content.[228][229] The company launched carousel image ads in October 2015[230][231] and video carousel ads in March 2016.[232]

In February 2016, Instagram announced that it had 200,000 advertisers on the platform.[233] This number rose to 500,000 by September 2016[234] and to 1 million in March 2017.[235][236]

In May 2016, Instagram introduced new business account tools, including business profiles, analytics, and the ability to promote posts as ads. In order to be able to access the tools, companies had to link to a corresponding Facebook page.[237] Die neue Analyseseite, bekannt als Instagram Insights, ermöglichte es Geschäftskonten, Top-Posts, Reichweite, Impressionen, Engagement und demografische Daten anzuzeigen.[237] Insights wurde zuerst in den Vereinigten Staaten, Australien und Neuseeland eingeführt und später im Jahr 2016 auf den Rest der Welt ausgeweitet.[238][237][239]

Im November 2018 fügte Instagram die Möglichkeit für Geschäftskonten hinzu, Produktlinks hinzuzufügen, die Benutzer auf eine Einkaufsseite leiten oder sie auf einer „Einkaufsliste“ speichern.[240] Im April 2019 fügte Instagram die Option „Zur Kasse auf Instagram“ hinzu. die es Händlern ermöglicht, Produkte direkt über die Instagram-App zu verkaufen.[241]

Im März 2020 gab Instagram über einen Blogbeitrag bekannt, dass sie größere Moderationsänderungen vornehmen, um den Fluss von Desinformationen, Falschmeldungen und gefälschten Nachrichten in Bezug auf COVID-19 auf seiner Plattform zu verringern: „Wir werden COVID-19-Konten aus dem Konto entfernen Empfehlungen, und wir arbeiten daran, einige COVID-19-bezogene Inhalte aus Explore zu entfernen, sofern sie nicht von einer glaubwürdigen Gesundheitsorganisation gepostet wurden. Wir werden auch damit beginnen, Inhalte in Feeds und Stories herabzustufen, die von Faktenprüfern von Drittanbietern als falsch eingestuft wurden.”[ 242]

Im Juni 2021 führte Instagram ein natives Affiliate-Marketing-Tool ein, mit dem Entwickler Provisionen basierend auf Verkäufen verdienen können. Provisionsaktivierte Posts sind auf der Benutzerseite als „Provisionsfähig“ gekennzeichnet, um sie als Affiliate-Posts zu kennzeichnen. Startpartner waren unter anderem Sephora, MAC und Kopari.[243]

Eigenständige Apps

Instagram hat drei eigenständige Apps mit spezialisierten Funktionen entwickelt und veröffentlicht. Im Juli 2014 veröffentlichte es Bolt, eine Messaging-App, bei der Benutzer auf das Profilfoto eines Freundes klicken, um schnell ein Bild zu senden, wobei der Inhalt verschwindet, nachdem er gesehen wurde.[244][245] Es folgte im August die Veröffentlichung von Hyperlapse, einer iOS-exklusiven App, die „clevere Algorithmusverarbeitung“ verwendet, um Kamerafahrten und schnelle Zeitraffervideos zu erstellen.[246][247] Microsoft hat im Mai 2015 eine Hyperlapse-App für Android und Windows auf den Markt gebracht, aber bisher gab es für keine dieser Plattformen eine offizielle Hyperlapse-App von Instagram.[248] Im Oktober 2015 veröffentlichte es Boomerang, eine Video-App, die Fotos zu kurzen, einsekündigen Videos kombiniert, die in einer Schleife hin und her abgespielt werden.[249][250]

Dienste von Drittanbietern

Die Popularität von Instagram hat zu einer Vielzahl von Diensten von Drittanbietern geführt, die für die Integration entwickelt wurden, darunter Dienste zum Erstellen von Inhalten zum Posten auf dem Dienst und zum Generieren von Inhalten aus Instagram-Fotos (einschließlich physischer Ausdrucke), Analysen und alternativer Clients für Plattformen mit unzureichender oder keiner offiziellen Unterstützung von Instagram (wie in der Vergangenheit iPads).[251][252]

Im November 2015 kündigte Instagram an, dass es mit Wirkung zum 1. Juni 2016 den API-Zugriff auf seine Plattform beenden werde, um „die Kontrolle für die Community zu behalten und eine klare Roadmap für Entwickler bereitzustellen“ und „eine nachhaltigere Umgebung aufzubauen rund um authentische Erfahrungen auf der Plattform”, einschließlich solcher, die sich an die Erstellung von Inhalten, Herausgeber und Werbetreibende richten. Darüber hinaus wurde Drittkunden untersagt, die Textzeichenfolgen „insta“ oder „gram“ in ihrem Namen zu verwenden.[253] Es wurde berichtet, dass diese Änderungen in erster Linie dazu gedacht waren, Drittkunden davon abzuhalten, die gesamte Instagram-Erfahrung zu replizieren (aufgrund der zunehmenden Monetarisierung des Dienstes), und Sicherheitsgründe (wie die Verhinderung von Missbrauch durch automatisierte Klickfarmen und die Entführung von Konten). Im Zuge des Cambridge-Analytica-Skandals begann Instagram 2018, weitere Beschränkungen für seine API aufzuerlegen.[252][254][255]

Für das unbegrenzte Durchsuchen öffentlicher Instagram-Profile, ohne dass ein Konto erstellt werden muss, sowie für das anonyme Durchsuchen der Stories einer anderen Person muss der Instagram-Profile-Viewer verwendet werden.[256] Stories sind authentischer als typische Fotos, die als Posts gepostet werden, weil Nutzer wissen, dass ihre Stories innerhalb von 24 Stunden verschwinden, wenn sie sie nicht als hervorgehoben hinzufügen[257] (Nutzer können jedoch 48 Stunden nach der Veröffentlichung überprüfen, wer ihre Story gesehen hat[ 258]). Aus diesem Grund sind sie für die Marktforschung sehr wertvoll.[259]

Fakten Überprüfung

On December 16, 2019, Facebook announced it would expand its fact checking programs towards Instagram,[260] by using third-party fact-checkers organizations false information is able to be identified, reviewed and labeled as false information. Content when rated as false or partly false is removed from the explore page and hashtag pages, additionally content rated as false or partly false are labeled as such. With the addition of Facebook fact-checking program came the use of image matching technology to find further instances of misinformation. If a piece of content is labeled false or partly false on Facebook or Instagram then duplicates of such content will also be labeled as false.[261]

Algorithm and design changes

In April 2016, Instagram began rolling out a change to the order of photos visible in a user’s timeline, shifting from a strictly chronological order to one determined by an algorithm.[262] Instagram said the algorithm was designed so that users would see more of the photos by users that they liked,[263] but there was significant negative feedback, with many users asking their followers to turn on post notifications in order to make sure they see updates.[264][265][266] The company wrote a tweet to users upset at the prospect of the change, but did not back down,[267] nor provide a way to change it back, which they re-affirmed in 2020.[268][269] However, in December 2021, Adam Mosseri, in a Senate hearing on child safety issues, stated that the company is developing a version of the feed that would show user posts in chronological order.[270] He later clarified the company would introduce two modes: a classic chronological feed and a version of it that would let users pick “favorite” users whose posts would be shown at the top in chronological order while other posts would be mixed in below.[271]

Since 2017, Instagram has employed the ability to reduce the prominence of accounts (“shadowbanning”) it believes may be generating non-genuine engagement and spam (including excessive use of unneeded hashtags), preventing posts from appearing in search results and in the app’s Explore section. In a now-deleted Facebook post, Instagram wrote that “When developing content, we recommend focusing on your business objective or goal rather than hashtags”.[272][273] Instagram has since been accused of extending the practice to censor posts under vague and inconsistent circumstances, particularly in regards to sexually suggestive material.[274]

Instagram caused the userbase to fall into outrage with the December 2018 update.[275][276][277][278][279][excessive citations] They found an attempt to alter the flow of the feed from the traditional vertical scroll to emulate and piggy-back the popularity of their Instagram Stories with a horizontal scroll, by swiping left.[280] Various backtracking statements were released explaining it as a bug, or as a test release that had been accidentally deployed to too large an audience.[278][277]

In November 2020, Instagram replaced the activity feed tab with a new “Shop” tab, moving the activity feed to the top. The “new post” button was also relocated to the top and replaced with a Reels tab[281] The company states that “the Shop tab gives you a better way to connect with brands and creators and discover products you love” and the Reels tab “makes it easier for you to discover short, fun videos from creators all over the world and people just like you.”[282] However, users have not responded well to the change, taking their complaints to Twitter and Reddit, and The New York Times has shunned Reels in particular, saying “Not only does Reels fail in every way as a TikTok clone, but it’s confusing, frustrating and impossible to navigate”.[283]

Also in 2020, Instagram rolled out a feature titled “suggested posts”, which adds posts from accounts Instagram thinks a user would like to such user’s feed.[284] The feature was met with controversy from both Reddit users[285] from The Verge, which reported that suggested posts would keep users glued to their feed, give Instagram more advertising space, and ultimately harm the mental health of users, while Instagram executive Julian Gutman rebutted, stating the feature was not intended to keep users glued to their screens.[286] Suggested posts received more controversy after Fast Company stated that the feature would be impossible to turn off.[287]

On June 23, 2021, Instagram announced a test change to the “suggested posts” feature. The company will put suggested posts ahead of posts from people that the user is following in the Instagram feed, citing positive reception as the reason for this change.[288]

Impact on people

Psychische Gesundheit

depression

Khodarahimi & Fathi 2017 found evidence for Instagram users displaying higher levels of depressive symptoms.[289] Frison & Eggermont 2017 pointed out that only Instagram browsing, and not Instagram liking nor posting, predicts more depressive symptoms.[290] It also provides evidence for a relation between Instagram use and depressive symptomatology in the opposite direction, where level of depressed mood has shown to positively predict Instagram posting. Lamp et al. 2019 showed a positive relationship between depression and the number of selfies taken before posting it on Instagram.[291] What’s more, more frequent Instagram use has negative associations for people who follow more strangers, but positive associations for people who follow fewer strangers, with social comparison and depressive symptoms.[292]

fear

Khodarahimi & Fathi 2017 observed higher levels of anxiety in Instagram users compared to non-users,[289] while Mackson et al. 2019 suggested beneficial effects of Instagram use on anxiety symptoms.[293] Multiple studies pointed out small to moderate positive relationships between time spent on Instagram and trait anxiety, physical appearance anxiety, social anxiety and attention to high insecurity-eliciting body regions.[294][295][296][297] Moujaes & Verrier 2020 observed a connection between anxiety and online engagement with InstaMums, which relationship was influenced by social comparison orientation and self-esteem.[298]

Emphasize

A paper showed that users who feel that they spend too much time on Instagram report higher levels of addiction to Instagram, which in turn was related to higher self-reported levels of stress induced by the app.[299][300]

Sucht

In a study focusing on the relationship between various psychological needs and addiction to Instagram by students, Foroughi et al. 2021 found that the desire for recognition and entertainment were predictors of students’ addiction to Instagram. In addition, the study proved that addiction to Instagram negatively affects academic performance.[301] Gezgin & Mihci 2020 quantified Turkish students’ Instagram use’s contribution to overall smartphone addiction, and concluded that frequent Instagram usage correlates with smartphone addiction.[302]

Harmful effect on teenage girls’ mental health

Facebook has known for years that its Instagram app is harmful to a number of teenagers, according to research seen by The Wall Street Journal, but the company concealed the knowledge from lawmakers.[303]

One study found that introduction to celebrity and peer pictures expanded women’s negative mood.[304]

Internal Facebook presentations seen by the Journal in 2021 show that Instagram is toxic to a sizable percentage of its users, particularly teenage girls. More than 40% of Instagram’s users are under 23 years old. The presentations were seen by the company’s executives and the findings mentioned to Mark Zuckerberg in 2020, but when asked in March 2021 about Instagram’s effect on young people, Zuckerberg defended the company’s plan to launch an Instagram product for children under 13.[303]

When asked by senators for its internal findings on the impact of Instagram on youth mental health, Facebook sent a six-page letter but did not include the company’s research. The company told Forbes that its research is “kept confidential to promote frank and open dialogue and brainstorming internally.”[305]

In a blog post, Instagram said that the WSJ story “focuses on a limited set of findings and casts them in a negative light.”[306]

On September 27, 2021, weeks after the WSJ report was released, Facebook announced it had “paused” development of Instagram Kids, the Instagram product aimed at children. The company stated it was looking into concerns raised by the regulators and parents. Adam Mosseri stated that the company would return to the project as “[t]he reality is that kids are already online, and we believe that developing age-appropriate experiences designed specifically for them is far better for parents than where we are today.”[307][308]

Satisfaction with appearance

Sherlock & Wagstaff 2019 showed that both the number of followers and followees show a small positive relationship with trait anxiety.[296] Instagram users report higher body surveillance,[309] appearance related pressure,[310] eating pathology[311] and lower body satisfaction[311] than non-users.[300] Multiple studies have shown that users who take more selfies (before posting) and strategically present themselves on Instagram, for example by editing or manipulating selfies, report higher levels of body surveillance, body dissatisfaction, and lower body esteem.[312][291][313][300] Tiggemann et al. 2020 also confirmed this through experimental study, finding that taking and editing selfies led to higher facial dissatisfaction.[314][300]

False self-presentation

In a 2021 study Mun & Kim pointed out that Instagram users with a strong need for approval were more likely to create false presentation of themselves on their Instagram accounts, which in turn increased the likelihood of depression. Notably, depression was mitigated by the perception of popularity.[315]

Body image

Multiple studies confirmed that Instagram usage is associated with body surveillance and body self-image. In particular, following appearance-focused Instagrammers corresponded with the desire to look thin. Comments related to appearance on Instagram are leading to higher dissatisfactions with one’s body.[316][317][318][319] Based on Facebook’s leaked internal research, Instagram has negative effects on the body image of one in three teenagers.[320] Leaked internal documents also indicate that two thirds of teen girls and 40 percent of teen boys experience negative social comparison, and that Instagram makes 20 percent of the teens feel worse about themselves. According to the leaked research, Instagram has higher impact on appearance comparison than TikTok or Snapchat.[321]

Loneliness

Mackson et al. 2019 found that Instagram users were less lonely than non-users[293] and that Instagram membership predicts lower self-reported loneliness.[300]

Social exclusion

In a 2021 study by Büttnera et Rudertb[322] pointed out that not being tagged in an Instagram photo triggers the feeling of social exclusion and ostracism, especially for those with higher needs to belong.

Wellbeing

The relationship between Instagram usage intensity and wellbeing varies by wellbeing indicator. Brailovskaia & Margraf 2018 found a significant positive relationship between Instagram membership and extraversion, life satisfaction, and social support. The association between Instagram membership and conscientiousness was marginally significantly negative. The same study showed a positive relationship between extraversion, life satisfaction, social support and Instagram membership.[323]

Life satisfaction

Fioravanti et al. 2020 showed that women who had to take a break from Instagram for seven days reported higher life satisfaction compared to women who continued their habitual pattern of Instagram use. The effects seemed to be specific for women, where no significant differences were observed for men.[324]

Alcohol and drug use

Instagram usage intensity shows a small positive correlation with alcohol consumption, with binge drinkers reporting greater intensity of Instagram use than non-binge drinkers.[325] An earlier study examined the relationship between alcohol consumption during college. It found a small to moderate positive relationship between alcohol consumption and Instagram usage, enhanced drinking motives, and drinking behavior.[326]

Fear of missing out

The relationship between Instagram use and the fear of missing out (FoMo) has been confirmed in multiple studies.[327][328] Use intensity shows a strong, while the number of followers and followees shows a weak correlation with FoMo. Research shows that Instagram browsing predicts social comparison, which generates FoMo, and FoMo can ultimately lead to depression.[329]

eating disorder

A comparison of Instagram users with non-users showed that boys with an Instagram account differ from boys without an account in terms of over-evaluation of their shape and weight, skipping meals, and levels of reported disordered eating cognitions. Girls with an Instagram account also differed from girls without an account in terms of skipping meals. However, none of the other associations that were reported for boys were observed for girls. Instead, girls with an Instagram account differed from girls without an account in that they used a stricter exercise schedule. This suggests a possible differential effect of Instagram membership on body (dis)satisfaction and disordered eating for boys and girls.[300][330] Regarding the relationship between time spent on Instagram and body image and/or disordered eating, several body-related constructs were consistently linked to indicators of Instagram use. More specifically, several studies identified a small positive relationship between time spent on Instagram and both internalization of beauty ideals or muscular ideals, and self-objectification across studies.[300][331][332][333] A positive link has been pointed out between the intensity of Instagram use and both body surveillance and dietary behaviors or disordered eating.[334][333]

Sharenting risks

Sharenting refers to the action of parents posting content, including images, about their children online. Instagram is one of the most popular social media channels for sharenting. The hashtag #letthembelittle contains 8 million images related to children on Instagram. Bare 2020 analysed 300 randomly selected, publicly available images under the hashtag and found that the corresponding images tended to contain personal information of children, including name, age and location.[335]

Suicide and self-harm

Picardo et al. 2020 examined the relationship between self-harm posts and actual self-harm behaviours offline and found such content had negative emotional effects on some users and reported preliminary evidence of potential harmful effects in relation to self-harm related behaviours offline, although causal effects cannot be claimed. At the same time, some benefits for those who engage with self-harm content online have been suggested.[336] Instagram has published content to help users in need to get support.[337]

Based on Facebook’s leaked internal research, 13 percent of British teenager users with suicidal thoughts could trace these thoughts to Instagram use. Amongst teenagers in the US with suicidal thoughts, this number is much smaller – 6 percent.[320]

Performative activism

Starting in June 2020, Instagram was more widely used as a platform for social justice movements including the Black Lives Matter movement.[338][339] This has changed how people address activism, created a lack of consistency in protest, and is not widely accepted.[340][341] Most notably in 2020, Shirien Damra shared an illustration and tribute she made of George Floyd after his murder, and it resulted in more than 3.4 million “likes”, followed by many offline reproductions of the illustration.[342][343] Instagram-based activism (as well as other social media) has been criticized and dismissed for being performative, reductionist, and overly focused on aesthetics.[340][339]

Impact on businesses

Instagram can help promote commercial products and services. It can be distinguished from other social media platforms by its focus on visual communication. Instagram marketing is an effective way to advertise a product, given that a picture is said to speak a thousand words.[344] The platform can also help commercial entities save branding costs, as it can be used for free even for commercial purposes.

User characteristics and behavior

The Instagram app, running on the Android operating system

Users

Following the release in October, Instagram had one million registered users in December 2010.[345][346] In June 2011, it announced that it had 5 million users,[347] which increased to 10 million in September.[348][349] This growth continued to 30 million users in April 2012,[348][27] 80 million in July 2012,[350][351] 100 million in February 2013,[352][353] 130 million in June 2013,[354] 150 million in September 2013,[355][356] 300 million in December 2014,[357][358] 400 million in September 2015,[359][360] 500 million in June 2016,[361][362] 600 million in December 2016,[363][364] 700 million in April 2017,[365][366] and 800 million in September 2017.[367][368]

In June 2011, Instagram passed 100 million photos uploaded to the service.[369][370] This grew to 150 million in August 2011,[371][372] and by June 2013, there were over 16 billion photos on the service.[354] In October 2015, there existed over 40 billion photos.[373]

In October 2016, Instagram Stories reached 100 million active users, two months after launch.[374][375] This increased to 150 million in January 2017,[198][199] 200 million in April, surpassing Snapchat’s user growth,[201][202][200] and 250 million active users in June 2017.[376][207]

In April 2017, Instagram Direct had 375 million monthly users.[186][187][188]

demographics

As of 2014 , Instagram’s users are divided equally with 50% iPhone owners and 50% Android owners. While Instagram has a neutral gender-bias format, 68% of Instagram users are female while 32% are male. Instagram’s geographical use is shown to favor urban areas as 17% of US adults who live in urban areas use Instagram while only 11% of adults in suburban and rural areas do so. While Instagram may appear to be one of the most widely used sites for photo sharing, only 7% of daily photo uploads, among the top four photo-sharing platforms, come from Instagram. Instagram has been proven to attract the younger generation with 90% of the 150 million users under the age of 35. From June 2012 to June 2013, Instagram approximately doubled their number of users. With regards to income, 15% of US Internet users who make less than $30,000 per year use Instagram, while 14% of those making $30,000 to $50,000, and 12% of users who make more than $50,000 per year do so.[377] With respect to the education demographic, respondents with some college education proved to be the most active on Instagram with 23%. Following behind, college graduates consist of 18% and users with a high school diploma or less make up 15%. Among these Instagram users, 24% say they use the app several times a day.[378]

User behavior

Ongoing research continues to explore how media content on the platform affects user engagement. Past research has found that media which show peoples’ faces receive more ‘likes’ and comments and that using filters that increase warmth, exposure, and contrast also boosts engagement.[379] Users are more likely to engage with images that depict fewer individuals compared to groups and also are more likely to engage with content that has not been watermarked, as they view this content as less original and reliable compared to user-generated content.[380] Recently Instagram has come up with an option for users to apply for a verified account badge; however, this does not guarantee every user who applies will get the verified blue tick.[381]

The motives for using Instagram among young people are mainly to look at posts, particularly for the sake of social interactions and recreation. In contrast, the level of agreement expressed in creating Instagram posts was lower, which demonstrates that Instagram’s emphasis on visual communication is widely accepted by young people in social communication.[382]

reception

Awards

Instagram was the runner-up for “Best Mobile App” at the 2010 TechCrunch Crunchies in January 2011.[383] In May 2011, Fast Company listed CEO Kevin Systrom at number 66 in “The 100 Most Creative People in Business in 2011”.[384] In June 2011, Inc. included co-founders Systrom and Krieger in its 2011 “30 Under 30” list.[12]

Instagram won “Best Locally Made App” in the SF Weekly Web Awards in September 2011.[385] 7x7Magazine’s September 2011 issue featured Systrom and Krieger on the cover of their “The Hot 20 2011” issue.[386] In December 2011, Apple Inc. named Instagram the “App of the Year” for 2011.[387] In 2015, Instagram was named No. 1 by Mashable on its list of “The 100 best iPhone apps of all time,” noting Instagram as “one of the most influential social networks in the world.”[388] Instagram was listed among Time’s “50 Best Android Applications for 2013” list.[389]

Psychische Gesundheit

In May 2017, a survey conducted by the United Kingdom’s Royal Society for Public Health, featuring 1,479 people aged 14–24, asking them to rate social media platforms depending on anxiety, depression, loneliness, bullying and body image, concluded that Instagram was the “worst for young mental health”. Some have suggested it may contribute to digital dependence, whist this same survey noticed its positive effects, including self-expression, self-identity, and community building. In response to the survey, Instagram stated that “Keeping Instagram a safe and supportive place for young people was a top priority”.[390][391] The company filters out the reviews and accounts. If some of the accounts violate Instagram’s community guidelines, it will take action, which could include banning them.[392]

In 2017, researchers from Harvard University and University of Vermont demonstrated a machine learning tool that successfully outperformed general practitioners’ diagnostic success rate for depression. The tool used color analysis, metadata components, and face detection of users’ feeds.[393]

Throughout 2019, Instagram began to test the hiding of like counts for posts made by its users.

Correlations have been made between Instagram content and poor body dissatisfaction, as a result of body comparisons. In a recent survey half of the applicants admitted to photo editing behavior which has been linked with concerns over body image.[394]

In October 2021, CNN published an article and interviews on how two young women, Ashlee Thomas and Anastasia Vlasova, say Instagram endangered their lives due to it having toxic effects on their diets.[395]

In response to abusive and negative comments on users’ photos, Instagram has made efforts to give users more control over their posts and accompanying comments field. In July 2016, it announced that users would be able to turn off comments for their posts, as well as control the language used in comments by inputting words they consider offensive, which will ban applicable comments from showing up.[396][397] After the July 2016 announcement, the ability to ban specific words began rolling out early August to celebrities,[398] followed by regular users in September.[399] In December, the company began rolling out the abilities for users to turn off the comments and, for private accounts, remove followers.[400][401]

In June 2017, Instagram announced that it would automatically attempt to filter offensive, harassing, and “spammy” comments by default. The system is built using a Facebook-developed deep learning algorithm known as DeepText (first implemented on the social network to detect spam comments), which utilizes natural-language processing techniques, and can also filter by user-specified keywords.[402][403][392]

In September 2017, the company announced that public users would be able to limit who can comment on their content, such as only their followers or people they follow. At the same time, it updated its automated comment filter to support additional languages.[404][405]

In July 2019, the service announced that it would introduce a system to proactively detect problematic comments and encourage the user to reconsider their comment, as well as allowing users the ability to “restrict” others’ abilities to communicate with them, citing that younger users felt the existing block system was too much of an escalation.[85]

An April 2022 study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that Instagram failed to act on 90% of abusive direct messages (DMs) sent to five high-profile women, despite the DMs being reported to moderators. The participants of the study included actress Amber Heard, journalist Bryony Gordon, television presenter Rachel Riley, activist Jamie Klingler and magazine founder Sharan Dhaliwal. Instagram disputed many of the study’s conclusions.[406][407][408]

Culture

On August 9, 2012, English musician Ellie Goulding released a new music video for her song “Anything Could Happen.” The video only contained fan-submitted Instagram photographs that used various filters to represent words or lyrics from the song, and over 1,200 different photographs were submitted.[409]

security

In August 2017, reports surfaced that a bug in Instagram’s developer tools had allowed “one or more individuals” to gain access to the contact information, specifically email addresses and phone numbers, of several high-profile verified accounts, including its most followed user, Selena Gomez. The company said in a statement that it had “fixed the bug swiftly” and was running an investigation.[410][411] However, the following month, more details emerged, with a group of hackers selling contact information online, with the affected number of accounts in the “millions” rather than the previously assumed limitation on verified accounts. Hours after the hack, a searchable database was posted online, charging $10 per search.[412] The Daily Beast was provided with a sample of the affected accounts, and could confirm that, while many of the email addresses could be found with a Google search in public sources, some did not return relevant Google search results and thus were from private sources.[413] The Verge wrote that cybersecurity firm RepKnight had found contact information for multiple actors, musicians, and athletes,[412] and singer Selena Gomez’s account was used by the hackers to post naked photos of her ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber. The company admitted that “we cannot determine which specific accounts may have been impacted”, but believed that “it was a low percentage of Instagram accounts”, though TechCrunch stated in its report that six million accounts were affected by the hack, and that “Instagram services more than 700 million accounts; six million is not a small number”.[414]

In 2019, Apple pulled an app that let users stalk people on Instagram by scraping accounts and collecting data.[415]

Iran has DPI blocking for Instagram.[416]

Content ownership

On December 17, 2012, Instagram announced a change to its Terms of Service policy, adding the following sentence:[417]

To help us deliver interesting paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you.

There was no option for users to opt out of the changed Terms of Service without deleting their accounts before the new policy went into effect on January 16, 2013.[418] The move garnered severe criticism from users,[419][420] prompting Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom to write a blog post one day later, announcing that they would “remove” the offending language from the policy. Citing misinterpretations about its intention to “communicate that we’d like to experiment with innovative advertising that feels appropriate on Instagram”, Systrom also stated that it was “our mistake that this language is confusing” and that “it is not our intention to sell your photos”. Furthermore, he wrote that they would work on “updated language in the terms to make sure this is clear”.[421][419]

The policy change and its backlash caused competing photo services to use the opportunity to “try to lure users away” by promoting their privacy-friendly services,[422] and some services experienced substantial gains in momentum and user growth following the news.[423] On December 20, Instagram announced that the advertising section of the policy would be reverted to its original October 2010 version.[424] The Verge wrote about that policy as well, however, noting that the original policy gives the company right to “place such advertising and promotions on the Instagram Services or on, about, or in conjunction with your Content”, meaning that “Instagram has always had the right to use your photos in ads, almost any way it wants. We could have had the exact same freakout last week, or a year ago, or the day Instagram launched”.[417]

The policy update also introduced an arbitration clause, which remained even after the language pertaining to advertising and user content had been modified.[425]

Facebook acquisition as a violation of US antitrust law

Columbia Law School professor Tim Wu has given public talks explaining that Facebook’s 2012 purchase of Instagram was a felony.[426] A New York Post article published on February 26, 2019, reported that “the FTC had uncovered [a document] by a high-ranking Facebook executive who said the reason the company was buying Instagram was to eliminate a potential competitor”.[427] As Wu explains, this is a violation of US antitrust law (see monopoly). Wu stated that this document was an email directly from Mark Zuckerberg, whereas the Post article had stated that their source had declined to say whether the high-ranking executive was the CEO. The article reported that the FTC “has formed a task force to review “anticompetitive conduct” in the tech world amid concerns that tech companies are growing too powerful. The task force will look at “the full panoply of remedies” if it finds “competitive harm,” FTC competition bureau director Bruce Hoffman told reporters.”

Algorithmic advertisement with a rape threat

In 2016, Olivia Solon, a reporter for The Guardian, posted a screenshot to her Instagram profile of an email she had received containing threats of rape and murder towards her. The photo post had received three likes and countless comments, and in September 2017, the company’s algorithms turned the photo into an advertisement visible to Solon’s sister. An Instagram spokesperson apologized and told The Guardian that “We are sorry this happened – it’s not the experience we want someone to have. This notification post was surfaced as part of an effort to encourage engagement on Instagram. Posts are generally received by a small percentage of a person’s Facebook friends.” As noted by the technology media, the incident occurred at the same time parent company Facebook was under scrutiny for its algorithms and advertising campaigns being used for offensive and negative purposes.[428][429]

Human exploitation

In May 2021, The Washington Post published a report detailing a “black market” of unlicensed employment agents luring migrant workers from Africa and Asia into indentured servitude as maids in Persian Gulf countries, and using Instagram posts containing their personal information (including in some cases, passport numbers) to market them. Instagram deleted 200 accounts that had been reported by the Post, and a spokesperson stated that Instagram took this activity “extremely seriously”, disabled 200 accounts found by the Post to be engaging in these activities, and was continuing to work on systems to automatically detect and disable accounts engaging in human exploitation.[430]

In July 2022, Instagram announced a set of updates which immediately received widespread backlash from its userbase. The changes included a feed more focused on Instagram’s content algorithms, full-screen photo and video posts, and changing the format of all of its videos to Reels. The primary criticisms for these updates was Instagram being more like TikTok, with influencers Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian jointly posting a statement saying “Make Instagram Instagram again. (stop trying to be tiktok i just want to see cute photos of my friends.) Sincerely, everyone.”. Instagram walked back the update on July 28, with Meta saying “We recognize that changes to the app can be an adjustment, and while we believe that Instagram needs to evolve as the world changes, we want to take the time to make sure we get this right.”[431]

Censorship and restricted content

Illicit drugs

Instagram has been the subject of criticism due to users publishing images of drugs they are selling on the platform. In 2013, the BBC discovered that users, mostly located in the United States, were posting images of drugs they were selling, attaching specific hashtags, and then completing transactions via instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp. Corresponding hashtags have been blocked as part of the company’s response and a spokesperson engaged with the BBC explained:[432][433]

Instagram has a clear set of rules about what is and isn’t allowed on the site. We encourage people who come across illegal or inappropriate content to report it to us using the built-in reporting tools next to every photo, video or comment, so we can take action. People can’t buy things on Instagram, we are simply a place where people share photos and videos.

However, new incidents of illegal drug trade have occurred in the aftermath of the 2013 revelation, with Facebook, Inc., Instagram’s parent company, asking users who come across such content to report the material, at which time a “dedicated team” reviews the information.[434]

In 2019, Facebook announced that influencers are no longer able to post any vape, tobacco products, and weapons promotions on Facebook and Instagram.[435]

Women’s bodies

In October 2013, Instagram deleted the account of Canadian photographer Petra Collins after she posted a photo of herself in which a very small area of pubic hair was visible above the top of her bikini bottom. Collins claimed that the account deletion was unfounded because it broke none of Instagram’s terms and conditions.[436] Audra Schroeder of The Daily Dot further wrote that “Instagram’s terms of use state users can’t post “pornographic or sexually suggestive photos,” but who actually gets to decide that? You can indeed find more sexually suggestive photos on the site than Collins’, where women show the side of “femininity” the world is “used to” seeing and accepting.”[437] Nick Drewe of The Daily Beast wrote a report the same month focusing on hashtags that users are unable to search for, including #sex, #bubblebutt, and #ballsack, despite allowing #faketits, #gunsforsale and #sexytimes, calling the discrepancy “nonsensical and inconsistent”.[438]

Similar incidents occurred in January 2015, when Instagram deleted Australian fashion agency Sticks and Stones Agency’s account because of a photograph including pubic hair sticking out of bikini bottoms,[439] and March 2015, when artist and poet Rupi Kaur’s photos of menstrual blood on clothing were removed, prompting a rallying post on her Facebook and Tumblr accounts with the text “We will not be censored”, gaining over 11,000 shares.[440]

The incidents have led to a #FreetheNipple campaign, aimed at challenging Instagram’s removal of photos displaying women’s nipples. Although Instagram has not made many comments on the campaign,[441] an October 2015 explanation from CEO Kevin Systrom highlighted Apple’s content guidelines for apps published through its App Store, including Instagram, in which apps must designate the appropriate age ranking for users, with the app’s current rating being 12+ years of age. However, this statement has also been called into question due to other apps with more explicit content allowed on the store, the lack of consequences for men exposing their bodies on Instagram, and for inconsistent treatment of what constitutes inappropriate exposure of the female body.[442][443]

Iranian government bribed moderators $9,000 to delete Masih Alinejad anti-Islamic women rules account.[444]

Censorship by countries

Censorship of Instagram has occurred in several different countries.

United States

On January 11, 2020, Instagram and its parent company Facebook, Inc. are removing posts “that voice support for slain Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani to comply with US sanctions”.[445]

On October 30, 2020, Instagram temporarily removed the “recent” tab on hashtag pages to prevent the spread of misinformation regarding the 2020 United States presidential election.[446] On January 7, 2021, United States President Donald Trump was banned from Instagram “indefinitely”. Zuckerberg stated “We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great.”[447]

A few days after Facebook changed its name to Meta, the artist and technologist Thea-Mai Baumann has lost access to her @metaverse Instagram handle. Bauman tried to reclaim her access for a month, without success. Only after The New York Times published the story and contacted Meta’s PR department, was the access restored.[448]

China

Instagram has been blocked by China following the 2014 Hong Kong protests as many confrontations with police and incidents occurring during the protests were recorded and photographed. Hong Kong and Macau were not affected as they are part of special administrative regions of China.[449]

Turkey

Turkey is also known for its strict Internet censorship and periodically blocks social media including Instagram.[450]

Nord Korea

A few days after a fire incident that happened in the Koryo Hotel in North Korea on June 11, 2015, authorities began to block Instagram to prevent photos of the incident from being spread out.[451]

Iran

As of February 2022, Instagram is one of the last freely available global social media sites in Iran.[452] Instagram is popular among Iranians because it is seen as an outlet for freedom and a “window to the world.”[453] Still, Iran has sentenced several citizens to prison for posts made on their Instagram accounts.[454] The Iranian government also blocked Instagram periodically during anti-government protests.[455] In July 2021, Instagram temporarily censored videos with the phrase “death to Khamenei”.[456]

Cuba

The Cuban government blocked access to several social media platforms, including Instagram, to curb the spread of information during the 2021 Cuban protests.[457]

Russland

On March 11, 2022, Russia announced it would ban Instagram due to alleged “calls for violence against Russian troops” on the platform during the ongoing 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[458] On March 14, the ban took effect, with almost 80 million users losing access to Instagram.[459]

Statistics

As of December 2021, the most followed person is Portuguese professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo with over 373 million followers.[460] As of January 14, 2019, the most-liked photo on Instagram is a picture of an egg, posted by the account @world_record_egg, created with the sole purpose of surpassing the previous record of 18 million likes on a Kylie Jenner post. As of January 2019, the picture has over 55 million likes.[461] The second most-liked photo is a wedding photo of Ariana Grande and her husband Dalton Gomez.[462] Instagram was the fourth most downloaded mobile app of the 2010s.[460]

In popular culture

Social Animals (documentary film): A documentary film about three teenagers growing up on Instagram

(documentary film): A documentary film about three teenagers growing up on Instagram Instagram model: a term for models who gain their success as a result of the large number of followers they have on Instagram

Instapoetry: a style of poetry which formed by sharing images of short poems by poets on Instagram.

Instagram Pier: a cargo working area in Hong Kong that gained its nickname due to its popularity on Instagram

system

Instagram is written in Python.[463]

Instagram artificial intelligence (AI) describes content for visually impaired people that use screen readers.[464]

See also

Explanatory notes

^ IG, Insta, or the Gram.[9] The name is often colloquially abbreviated as, or

references

Continue reading

Wondering how many reports does it take to ban an account from Instagram? It can be frustrating to report an Instagram account for breaking the rules and see that the account is still active. There is no specific number of complaints that will guarantee account removal – accounts are disabled due to multiple violation warnings. While Instagram keeps its termination thresholds private, this wikiHow article will teach you everything you need to know about how reports and violations can affect your Instagram account status.

How many reports of deleting an Instagram account

How do I delete my Instagram account with 100 reports? Or with a report? You may be wondering how many Instagram reports it takes to delete your account. The truth is that Instagram doesn’t specify how many reports it takes to delete an account, but some users say it’s 50 and others say it’s 100. There’s no way of knowing for sure as the company will not confirm or deny anything about the number of reports that result in an account being deleted or disabled.

{tocify} $title={table of contents}

How Many Reports About Deleting an Instagram Account?

How long it takes for an Instagram Page to be deleted depends on many factors. If you report something that clearly violates Instagram’s Community Guidelines, such as B. Spam or pornography, and they find it credible, it can be removed immediately. But if you report something else — like harassment or bullying — Instagram may take longer to review and eventually remove those photos or accounts. It is very important to ensure that your reasons for reporting are relevant. If not, your request will likely be ignored or closed by people who don’t see a problem with what you reported.

How to report an Instagram account and have it deleted

The next way to report an Instagram account is fake and spam Instagram accounts. If you have seen fake Instagram accounts using names, photos, videos and information similar to yours. So, you must report the account immediately to get it deleted or banned from Instagram.

Tutorial on how to report an Instagram account for deletion:

Visit the profile of the Instagram account you want to report. Please tap the dot icon in the top right corner. Then select the Report option. If the IG account is indeed fake, select the This is inappropriate option. Select I believe this account violates Instagram’s Community Guidelines. Select the reporting account. Then select This profile pretending to be someone else. If the fake IG account is spoofing you, select Me.

Then wait for Instagram to verify your report on the IG account. This method is very effective to report Instagram accounts like online store scam and fake accounts.

How many reports are required to close an account

Well, it’s a matter of time, more than 10 reports is enough, but you have to wait for the reports to be processed. In some cases it took 24 hours or less, but sometimes it took 2 or 3 days. Sometimes it’s just an authentic request with the right requirements that the Facebook page can delete.

Also read:

Does Instagram Delete Reported Accounts?

Once Instagram staff has reviewed your report, they will decide whether or not to delete the account. … But it can take quite a while for Instagram to review your report. Also, they might decide that the account you reported is not inactive and should not be deleted.

What happens to an Instagram account when you report it?

Instagram often does not follow up on real reports. So if there’s nothing inappropriate, it probably won’t do anything with the account you’re reporting. Reporting often results in your account being suspended for the account you are reporting. If you want to follow this person again, learn how to unblock them on Instagram.

How many reports does it take to get banned from Instagram?

This is the question most Instagram users ask themselves when they receive an automated message from Instagram stating that one of their posts or stories has been removed and could result in your account being suspended. Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t share how many reports lead to bans, or even how it determines what content violates its Community Guidelines. However, there are some patterns we can see in which content is reported more often than others, and who is reporting it.

Delete Instagram account permanently – is that possible?

If you’re thinking about permanently deleting your Instagram account, you probably want to know if it actually works. There is no standard answer for all users and there are a few things that determine whether or not you can delete your Instagram account. In most cases, only popular social media accounts with thousands of followers can be deleted permanently.

What Happens When Your Instagram Account Gets Banned?

If you have a suspended account, you must fill out this form to forward your request to Instagram. For example, the identity theft report form (an option you shouldn’t dismiss entirely, since Instagram bans accounts that have survived too many failed login attempts).

Nếu có tài khoản Instagram, bạn có thể báo cáo trang cá nhân hoặc nội dung trên Instagram không tuân thủ Nguyên tắc cộng đồng

Hiện tại, bạn có thể báo cáo bài viết vì bất kỳ lý do nào sau đây:

spam

Ảnh khỏa thân hoặc hoạt động tình dục

Biểu tượng hoặc ngôn từ gây thù ghét

Tổ chức nguy hiểm hoặc bạo lực

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Vi phạm quyền sở hữu trí tuệ

Hành động tự tử/tự gây thương tích

Chứng rối loạn ăn uống

Hành vi lừa đảo hoặc gian lận

Thông tin sai sự thật

Bạn cũng có thể báo cáo trang cá nhân đăng nội dung không nên đăng, giả mạo người khác hoặc trang cá nhân của trẻ em dưới 13 tuổ. Tìm hiểu cách báo cáo binh luận hoặc cách báo cáo tin nhắn

Lưu ý rằng báo cao của bạn sẽ ẩn danh, trừ khi bạn báo cao vi phạm quyền sở hữu trí tuệ. Tài khoản mà bạn báo cáo sẽ không thấy ai đã báo cáo họ.

Có nhiều cách để báo cáo điều gì đó hoặc ai đó trên ứng dụng Instagram dành cho Android và iPhone:

Báo cáo bài viết thông qua Nguồn cấp dữ liệu Báo cáo bài viết thông qua Nguồn cấp dữ liệu Nhấn vào (iPhone) hoặc (Android) bên trên bài viết. Nhấn vào Báo cao. Làm theo hướng dẫn trên màn hình.

Báo cáo ai đó thông qua trang cá nhân của họ báo cáo ai đng qua trang cá nhân của họ nhấn vào tên người dùng của họ trên bảng tin, bài viết cót đoạn chat vớo. Bạn cũng có thể nhấn vào và tìm kiếm tên người dùng để đi đến trang cá nhân của họ. Nhấn vào (iPhone) hoặc (Android) ở trên cùng bên phải trang cá nhân. Nhấn vào Báo cao. Làm theo hướng dẫn trên màn hình.

Cũng có nhiều cách để báo cáo nội dung nào đó hoặc ai đó trên Instagram.com từ máy tính hoặc trình duyệt di động:

Báo cáo bài viết thông qua Nguồn cấp dữ liệu Chọn Báo cáo và làm theo hướng dẫn trên màn hình.

Báo cáo ai đó thông qua trang cá nhân của họ báo cáo ai đng qua trang cá nhân của họ nhấn vào tên người dùng mà bạn báo cáo trên bảng tin hoặc bà hoặ tin hoặt tên người dùng để đi đến trang cá nhân của họ. Nhấp/nhấn vào bên cạnh tên người dùng đó. Chọn Báo cáo người dùng, sau đó chọn loại tài khoản bạn muốn báo cáo và làm theo hướng dẫn trên màn hình.

Nế không có tài khoản instagram, bạn cóo cáo hành vi lạm dụng, spam hoặ điều gì khác không tu ủ nguyêêê foreng ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ ồ đi

Words by Micah Avry Guiao

We saw it on Instagram — an obscure account with three times as many photos as followers, an icon meant to impress no one, and a bio description made up of an inside joke.

Dump accounts, or better known as finsta (a portmanteau of the words fake and Instagram), have actually been around since late 2015, since Instagram introduced its easily accessible account switching tab. However, it’s only been a year since I noticed that the rising trend is causing people on my campus to do their own finstas.

However, it has yet to break into the mainstream. So what is a dump account?

Dump accounts are pretty self-explanatory – this is where you dump a large sum of photos into one account. This can range from one to multiple posts per day. Anyone savvy with social media knows that uploading too much to their main Instagram account usually guarantees eye rolls from followers. This is where Finstas come in, where you have all the leeway to constantly document incidents in your life without being overbearing or irritating.

What is posted in a dump account is not meant for everyone to see. This is where we post photos that don’t quite make it into our main feed. Sometimes we just want to share something online without your acquaintances or relatives questioning your sanity. Screenshots of text conversations, memes, and embarrassing drunk pics also belong here. To some extent, it’s an even more unfiltered version of a Snapchat story (because let’s face it — how many times do we really post a Snap in one take?).

Funnily enough, there is nothing “fake” about Finstas.

In the main Instagram accounts, we showcase this public persona/image to bring out the best versions of ourselves. It features food porn photos, model outfits, vacation pics, and scenic vistas—all beautifully curated and some even color-coded to present the perfect feed. God knows how many shots it took to get those Instagram worthy posts.

Finstas and dump account traders, on the other hand, practice follower curation. Most if not all Finstas are protected or blocked, meaning only a select few (usually a following of no more than two digits) can see their content.

Interestingly, those who own one often neglect their main account. They, too, seem tired of maintaining a certain image. Some just get tired of finding the perfect shot and instead shift their focus to expressing themselves. Social media is no longer a foreign word for us today. It’s no longer imperative to make an impression — at least not as tedious and critical as it used to be.

Ultimately, finstas and dump accounts are not meant to impress anyone. It’s about deconstructing walls, removing filters and sharing small, tiny moments every day that make up a lifetime.

Do you also have a Finsta/Dump account? What is your reason for creating one? Let us know in the comments below!

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