Tips to Make Instagram a Safe Place for Followers
No one can ever deny that the internet, more specifically social media, is filled with danger. People may deem a certain account, post, or comment harmless. However, there are plenty of people who fall into the danger of scams, bullying, and online harassment.
For that reason, the Facebook-owned social media platform Instagram took steps to ensure the safety of its users. It added a number of features that users can enable in order to protect themselves from whatever kind of harm social media may bring.
Over the past years, Instagram was able to release a number of resources and tools that people can use to ensure that they remain safe while using the platform. To help you know and use these features, we have listed the things that you can do to make Instagram a safe place for you.
Tips in Making Your Instagram Account a Safe Place
Block People From Seeing Your Activities On the Platform
Even if you did not set your account to private, you still have the option to control who can find and follow you on Instagram. You can do this through the use of the blocking tool.
The first thing you need to do to block an account is to go to the user’s profile. Next, tap the three-dot icon in the upper right corner. There, you will be able to find the “Block User” option.
When you block an account, the user will not receive a notification that you blocked them. The account you blocked will still be able to mention you on posts or comments. However, this mention will no longer appear in your activity. If you do not want them to be able to mention you, you can change your username after blocking them.
Set Your Account to Private to Choose Who Can See Your Activities
Your popularity grows by buying followers on Instagram, and your account is visible to the entire online community by default. But if you switch to a private account, you will be able to control who will see your posts. In addition, a private account allows you to remove followers without blocking them.
Moreover, you can switch to a private account by simply navigating to your profile’s settings. Next, toggle to the Private Account option and switch it to the “on” position. Once done, you will need to approve every follow request before they can see your posts.
Enable the Two-factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication is a security feature that allows you to secure your account. Through this feature, even if a hacker knows your Instagram account’s username and password, you can still prevent them from logging into your account. This is because two-factor authentication requires you to enter a six-digit pin that will be sent to your mobile number.
Control the Comments That You Want to See
The majority of conversations on Instagram happen in the comment section. For this reason, it is important that you are comfortable with the comments that will appear on your posts. This is the reason why Instagram added a feature where users can filter comments based on chose or default keywords that the platform identified.
To filter the comments that you don’t want to appear on your post, go to your profile and tap the hamburger icon. From there, navigate to Settings and then tap Privacy. This will prompt the Comments settings to appear. Finally, turn on the Hide Offensive Comments options to filter the comments that can appear on your posts.
On the other hand, if someone commented something offensive to your post, you can delete it by swiping left and tapping the trash icon. You can also disable all comments on a particular post. To do this, tap Advanced Settings before posting. You will see the Turn Off Commenting option there. Turn it on, so that no one can comment on your post once it’s already up in your profile.
You can also disable comments on your older posts. Just tap the three-dot icon and you will see the Turn Off Commenting option.
Keep Your Instagram Account Safe By Setting a Strong Password
When setting your Instagram account’s password, choose one that is hard to guess. You can use a combination of at least six numbers, symbols, and letters. In addition, make sure that the passwords for each of your social media account are unique to them.
You should also never share your password with anyone that you do not trust. That includes third-party apps. If your password appears compromised, Instagram will conduct automated security checks. This will prompt you to change your password. If this happens to you, then you should immediately change your Instagram password.
In the instance that your account is logged in to a shared computer, do not forget to log out after using it. In addition, do not check the “Remember Me” box.
Support A Friend in Need
Making Instagram a safer place does not mean that you should only secure your account. Rather, you should contribute to making the platform a safe place for everyone.
If you see someone who is posting content about self-injury or suicide, and you think that it needs immediate action, do not hesitate to contact law enforcement. If you think that the threat of physical harm is not immediate, you can report the content within the app. Tap the three-dot icon next to any post and choose “It’s inappropriate.” Next, choose the “Self Injury” option.
You can also reach out to your friend through DM or in person so you can check them.
Final Thoughts
While it is true that the internet poses many cyber-dangers, it is important that we take part in making it a safer place. Through this, you will be able to protect yourself from harm, such as bullying, scam, harassment, hackers, and other danger. This way, you can ensure that you will not need to worry about your safety every time you post on Instagram.
Date: June 10, 2021 / Categories: Tips, / Author: Joy P
