Social networks are just that, social. When you're online, you're in the public eye, and people who care about you are the costs of doing business online. That being said, there is a difference between actively interacting with you, being curious, and observing and stalking.
Do you think someone is stalking you on Instagram? Do you think someone could secretly have a crush on you and follow you online? Want to know if someone cares too much about what you do on social media?
This tutorial will show you how to tell if someone is watching on your Instagram but not interacting or just lurking.
Unfortunately, your ability to find out if someone is is limitedCheck your Instagram profile constantly. There aren't many comments from the social network about what's going on, who's viewed what, or when someone viewed your profile. Your only option is Instagram Stories, which, like its Snapchat forerunner, lets you know who's viewed it.
Instagram Stories: the only way to know who's watching
Instagram Stories is essentially a copy of Snapchat Stories and works the same way. You create a post, set it as a story, and then make it public for 24 hours before it disappears.
You select someone's profile on the app to see their stories, and they do the same to see yours. Like Snapchat, Instagram Stories lets you know who's viewed your story.
- You can swipe up from any of your own Instagram Stories to see who viewed it.
The screen will display the username of each person who viewed that story. While this is unconfirmed, some believe the order in which the names appear indicates how many times they've seen it. Of course, Instagram never confirmed this, but it's an interesting theory.
Essentially, your first stop should be your Instagram stories. Once you've posted one of the short clips, you can see who's reviewing your content.
Catch that Instagram Stalker
Instagram Stories are the only way to know who is interacting with your content. Instagram Analytics tells professional account owners how many people have viewed them, but doesn't reveal which account is viewing their posts. So we came up with an alternative method to take down your stalker.
When you post an Instagram story, you have the option to hide it from others. This situation is different from the Close Friends list, which alerts users that you've shared them with specific people.
Assuming you suspect someone is following your content, post a story and hide it from everyone else on your list.
- Before posting your story, go to the Instagram story settings and select the option "hide story.” Select all except the person of interest. This keeps them unaware that they are the only people who can see the story.
- Not only will they see that they've viewed you, but if you use Instagram Analytics, you can see the view count increasing each time they do so. If they see the story multiple times, you know it was them because they're the only person who has access to it.
Unfortunately, this is the best way we know of to tell if someone is actively searching for your content to watch again and again. If you haven't set up Instagram Analytics, this will only tell you if you've been viewed.
Other ways to check if someone is stalking you on Instagram
Besides showing who viewed your Instagram story, there is no other way to know what's going on in the app. Snapchat offers a lot more information about who's doing what, but Instagram doesn't.
So if no one leaves a comment or otherwise engages with you, you're feeling in the dark, aren't you?
Using third-party apps to spot an Instagram stalker
There are many third party apps, browser extensions and websites that promise to show you who is viewing your profile. Many of them don't work, while others need access to your private information for nefarious purposes.
Although there may be some legitimate resources, users should be aware of the dangers of using such a service. Read the reviews and do some research on the developer before signing up for anything.
Dealing with bullying on Instagram
There's not much you can do if you think someone is following you on Instagram. As long as you're not seriously harassing them or threatening them in any way, you're not doing anything legally wrong. That fact is the price of social media. You are visible to all, and people can do whatever they want with the information you post online.
Change Instagram privacy settings
If your suspicions overwhelm you, you can change some privacy settings on Instagram to prevent the person from following you online.
- throw theInstagram-App.
- tap yoursperfil icÖNorte(Settings) to open your profile page.
- play thatHamburger-Symbol(Menu) in the upper right area.
- Choosesettingsfrom the menu and then selectPrivacy.
- Lowaccount privacyup, activateprivate account.
A private account is only visible to people who follow you. People who want to follow you send a request, which you can accept or decline at your own discretion. This setting makes you much less visible on Instagram as you can decide who can see your profile and posts.
Change the status of your Instagram activity
In addition to adjusting your privacy settings, you can also disable your activity status to prevent the stalker from seeing your activity.
- Opensettings, after thisprivacyand Instagram.
- Chooseactivity statusand switchShow activity statusdisabled.
The steps above will prevent anyone from seeing what you are doing on Instagram, but it will also prevent you from seeing other people's activity status. It's a one-way street.
Remove someone from your Instagram followers
If you have any idea who is following you, you can unfollow them.
- choose yoursProfileand Instagram.
- Tap onfolloweron top.
- ChooseRemovednext to the follower you want to remove.
If you've made your Instagram profile private, that person won't see anything you do on your account unless they're a follower. They can still see your comments or likes on other people's posts, but they won't see what you post yourself.
Change your Instagram account to private
A private Instagram account lowers the engagement factor of social media, but also offers some protection. You could try making your account private for a month or two and then making it public again. Chances are, whoever is following you will get bored by then and maybe move on.
Frequently asked questions about Instagram privacy
Here are the answers to more of your questions about taking back control of your privacy on Instagram.
What can I do if someone makes threats on Instagram?
If someone has threatened you through a comment or direct message, the first thing you should do is take a screenshot. Many professionals recommend that you avoid responding to hostile individuals on social media, but capturing a picture of the content with their username will help you move forward.
You can report the user to Instagram by clicking the three-dot menu on their profile or by visiting the Instagram support site (that's where the screenshot comes in. If the threat is serious enough or you think it's valid, then take action It might be a good idea to contact your local law enforcement agency.
Is there a way to tell if I'm being followed by a fake account?
Some users want to track your account anonymously. Maybe you blocked someone or refused to accept a follow request from someone you know. Unfortunately, Instagram doesn't tell you if an account is fake or who created it. But you can use deductive reasoning to better spot an illegitimate Instagram account.
The first sign that an Instagram profile is fake is the username. People who create fake profiles for the purpose of harassment can leave clues as to who they are in the username, or they won't put much effort into it. Scroll through your followers list to see which usernames are mismatched.
Another telltale sign that an Instagram profile isn't on the up is a lack of posts. While some users don't engage much, most other people follow, have followers, or post content. A simple Instagram account is certainly suspicious.
Finally, some Instagram stalkers create accounts that mimic your friends' profiles. Look at your followers list to see if there are any repeat accounts. If you have more than one follower that appears to be the same person, an account could be that of a stalker.
final thoughts
Instagram may be a great app to share photos and videos with your friends, family and followers, but it's not the best app for those who care about their online privacy.
As it stands, there's no real way to tell if someone is stalking you on Instagram. So, as you should when using any social media platform, always be careful what you post.