Instagram Privacy
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY OVERVIEW Instagram is a fun way to explore your creative side while taking photos and sharing them with your friends. In the same time, it’s a great platform to share your materials with unknown people who choose to follow you. Or you can be discovered via hashtags, if you use them and make your photos accessible to people from all around the world. With every post you share on Instagram, you’re exposing little bits of information. Some of this is harmless. But imagine if someone figured out exactly where you live and that nobody would be home for the next week. However, if you don’t want to expose yourself, there are steps you can do to keep your account somewhat private. Keep in mind Instagram is public by default.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED Keep your profile photos private. To only share your photos with the users you choose, like your friends and family, follow these steps:
o Go to your Instagram profile window. o Click on the three dots in the right corner. o At the bottom you’ll find the Private Account option. Make sure this security setting is ON. (The button should turn to Blue) Activating this option means that only those who follow you can see your online photos.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED Block followers you don’t know. You have created an Instagram account and you want followers. So, you start following even unknown people that you discover. In return, some of them follow you back. Even if you have turned on the option to make your photos private, it won’t keep your posts private from those who are already following you. In this case, you will have to manually remove (Block) the people you don’t want to see your photos. To remove one of your followers from your list, follow these steps: o Go to your Followers list and check out the people who follow you. o Tap on the user that you want to block. o From the top-right corner, tap on the menu button. the new window, choose the Block User option.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED Keep your Profile Information Private. Don’t expose too much private data in your profile information and especially in your EDIT PROFILE area. Don’t write any personal information that could be used against you in the Bio field. Don’t expose your location. Another important step you can take to keep yourself secure from identity theft and hide your account’s credentials from online criminals, is to make sure your location services for Instagram is turned off. o Go to your Instagram profile account. o Tap on the dropped pin icon. o At the top right of the screen you’ll see three dots, tap on them and then click on “Edit”. o You’ll see a photo map of your photos that have geotags. From there on, you just have to select the photos that you want to remove from your geo-map. Tap on them, and then tap on the check mark at the top right of the screen. o It will ask you to Confirm that you want to remove the geotags and permanently remove their location data from Instagram – click Confirm and that will be it.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED Manually approve Photo Tags. Let’s just imagine a situation where someone posts an embarrassing photo with you on Instagram, a photo your friends or family members should not see. For an individual who cares about reputation and social status, this could be quite a difficult moment. So, what can we do to keep ourselves protected from this type of surprises? The answer in this case is to activate the Instagram option that allows you to manually add photos you’ve been tagged in to your profile.
To do this, follow these steps: o Go to your Instagram profile account. o Access the Photos of You area. o Tap the menu button in the top-right corner. o Choose the option to add photos manually to your profile.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED Activate Two-Factor Authentication. The second factor consists of a unique, time-sensitive code, that you’ll receive via text on your mobile phone. You’ll have to introduce it any time you’ll want to log-in to your Instagram account from a new device. Here’s how to turn on the Two-Factor Authentication: o In the mobile app, go on your Instagram profile. o Click on the Settings icon (top right of the screen). o In the menu you’ll see a shortlink for “Two-Factor Authentication”, click on it. o Turn it on and set it up using your mobile phone. As an alternative, in case you ever lose your mobile and don’t have access to your phone number, you can also use one of the Backup Codes. Each Instagram account has five unique codes. You’ll find them in the same place where you activate the Two-Factor Authentication.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED
Revoke access to third party apps. Most likely you logged in using your social account to third party apps. It can be other social networks, or services that analyse your number of followers, post on your behalf and so on. So take your time and do a spring cleaning. Check every single app that you allowed to access and use your Instagram account. Revoke access to the ones that you don’t use anymore, look suspicious or you can’t even remember them.
Here’s how to do that: o Log into your Instagram account from the browser (desktop / laptop). o On the top right of the screen, click on your profile photo. Select “Edit Profile”. o From the Menu, select “Manage Applications”. It will take you to a page from where you can manage the apps that you authorized to use your Instagram account. Revoke access to any apps that might make your account vulnerable.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Don’t post sensitive information in your photos or captions Don’t reveal your location Make sure the location is not revealed by background details either Don’t use hashtags that may reveal private data (or the location) Don’t post provocative or violent photos Don’t post photos of other people without their consent Do not engage in online bullying Parents, please don’t post photos of your kids online If you log into your Instagram account from other devices (public / shared), make sure you log out every time
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED Keep your profile photos private. To only share your photos with the users you choose, like your friends and family, follow these steps:
o Go to your Instagram profile window. o Click on the three dots in the right corner. o At the bottom you’ll find the Private Account option. Make sure this security setting is ON. (The button should turn to Blue) Activating this option means that only those who follow you can see your online photos.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED Block followers you don’t know. You have created an Instagram account and you want followers. So, you start following even unknown people that you discover. In return, some of them follow you back. Even if you have turned on the option to make your photos private, it won’t keep your posts private from those who are already following you. In this case, you will have to manually remove (Block) the people you don’t want to see your photos. To remove one of your followers from your list, follow these steps: o Go to your Followers list and check out the people who follow you. o Tap on the user that you want to block. o From the top-right corner, tap on the menu button. the new window, choose the Block User option.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED Keep your Profile Information Private. Don’t expose too much private data in your profile information and especially in your EDIT PROFILE area. Don’t write any personal information that could be used against you in the Bio field. Don’t expose your location. Another important step you can take to keep yourself secure from identity theft and hide your account’s credentials from online criminals, is to make sure your location services for Instagram is turned off. o Go to your Instagram profile account. o Tap on the dropped pin icon. o At the top right of the screen you’ll see three dots, tap on them and then click on “Edit”. o You’ll see a photo map of your photos that have geotags. From there on, you just have to select the photos that you want to remove from your geo-map. Tap on them, and then tap on the check mark at the top right of the screen. o It will ask you to Confirm that you want to remove the geotags and permanently remove their location data from Instagram – click Confirm and that will be it.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED Manually approve Photo Tags. Let’s just imagine a situation where someone posts an embarrassing photo with you on Instagram, a photo your friends or family members should not see. For an individual who cares about reputation and social status, this could be quite a difficult moment. So, what can we do to keep ourselves protected from this type of surprises? The answer in this case is to activate the Instagram option that allows you to manually add photos you’ve been tagged in to your profile.
To do this, follow these steps: o Go to your Instagram profile account. o Access the Photos of You area. o Tap the menu button in the top-right corner. o Choose the option to add photos manually to your profile.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED Activate Two-Factor Authentication. The second factor consists of a unique, time-sensitive code, that you’ll receive via text on your mobile phone. You’ll have to introduce it any time you’ll want to log-in to your Instagram account from a new device. Here’s how to turn on the Two-Factor Authentication: o In the mobile app, go on your Instagram profile. o Click on the Settings icon (top right of the screen). o In the menu you’ll see a shortlink for “Two-Factor Authentication”, click on it. o Turn it on and set it up using your mobile phone. As an alternative, in case you ever lose your mobile and don’t have access to your phone number, you can also use one of the Backup Codes. Each Instagram account has five unique codes. You’ll find them in the same place where you activate the Two-Factor Authentication.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY TIPS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED
Revoke access to third party apps. Most likely you logged in using your social account to third party apps. It can be other social networks, or services that analyse your number of followers, post on your behalf and so on. So take your time and do a spring cleaning. Check every single app that you allowed to access and use your Instagram account. Revoke access to the ones that you don’t use anymore, look suspicious or you can’t even remember them.
Here’s how to do that: o Log into your Instagram account from the browser (desktop / laptop). o On the top right of the screen, click on your profile photo. Select “Edit Profile”. o From the Menu, select “Manage Applications”. It will take you to a page from where you can manage the apps that you authorized to use your Instagram account. Revoke access to any apps that might make your account vulnerable.
INSTAGRAM PRIVACY RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Don’t post sensitive information in your photos or captions Don’t reveal your location Make sure the location is not revealed by background details either Don’t use hashtags that may reveal private data (or the location) Don’t post provocative or violent photos Don’t post photos of other people without their consent Do not engage in online bullying Parents, please don’t post photos of your kids online If you log into your Instagram account from other devices (public / shared), make sure you log out every time
