Today, Instagram is a platform where we spend more than half our day. Instagram isn't just a platform for sharing photos. Instagram is a digital home for our identities, businesses, and memories. As its popularity has grown, so too have the risks of hacking, online bullying, and privacy breaches.
Surprisingly, millions of Instagram accounts are hacked every year. Furthermore, some unwanted people enter the comment section and disrupt the environment. To avoid this, we need to understand Instagram's privacy. If you want to avoid all this, then this Instagram Safety Guide 2026 is especially for you.
How to protect your Instagram account from hackers
1. The biggest weapon against hacking: Two-Factor Authentication (2 FA)
We often rely solely on our passwords to protect our accounts, which is a risk. Hackers can easily crack passwords these days. The solution is to enable Two-Factor Authentication on Instagram. This will send an OTP or authentication code to your phone whenever someone or you logs in on a new device. Without this, your account cannot be logged in.
How to do this: First, go to Instagram Settings > Accounts Center > Password and Security > and then turn on Two-Factor Authentication.
2. Way to keep unwanted people away: Limit Interactions feature
Limit Interactions is a unique feature on Instagram. The advantage of this feature is that it automatically hides comments and messages from those users. Those who have not followed you or who recently followed you.
When should you use Limit Interaction? Whenever a post on Instagram goes viral, some nasty people comment on it. To stop all that, you should turn it off immediately.
Benefits of Limit Interaction: It doesn't promote trolls on Instagram and keeps the comments section of your account clean.
Turn on Limit Interactions: Instagram Settings > Limit Interactions > Turn On.
3. The 'Golden Rule' of Privacy: Private vs. Public Account
If you use Instagram normally or aren't an influencer or blogger, keeping your account private is the best way to protect yourself.
Benefits of a private account: This prevents strangers from seeing your photos and videos or checking your follower list.
How to make your Instagram account private: Instagram's Settings > Account Privacy > Private Account on.
4. Hidden Words: Protection against foul language and spam
Instagram now offers a filter that automatically removes offensive words.
How does it work: You can add custom words of your choice. For example, if you don't like certain words and don't want them to appear in your comments. You can add those words to the list. Comments containing those words will then be invisible to anyone.
Settings: First Settings > Then Hidden Words > Add words separated by commas (You have to write all those words one by one using commas like Abc, xyz.)
5. Keep a Close Eye on Login Activity
Sometimes, we forget to log in to our accounts at different places. We may find ourselves logged into someone else's computer or phone without even realizing it. We should check our Login Activity once a month or a week. You see a city or device there that you do not recognize. Then, you must log out of your account immediately and change your password.
Settings: Instagram Settings > Password and Security > Where you are logged in.
6. Sensitive Content Control
While scrolling through Instagram, we often encounter photos or videos that can be distracting. But you can prevent such photos and videos from appearing in your feed. By 2026, Instagram's AI could control this even better. Here's how to prevent sensitive content:
Settings: Instagram Settings > Content Preferences > Sensitive Content > Select 'Less' here; this will only show clean content on your feed.
7. Beware of Suspicious Links (Phishing)
Hackers use different ways to hack our Instagram Account. Some send you messages that say, If your photo is copyrighted, click on the link. Clicking on the link will remove the copyright. You may also receive several other types of links. Instagram never sends you a link in direct messages (DMs) as per Instagram's policy. If there's a problem with your account, it will send an official email or an in-app notification. For your own safety, never click on unknown links or enter your login details.
8. Understand the difference between 'Blocking' and 'Restricting.'
On Instagram, we have the option to block and restrict. There's a difference between these two, which we should understand.
Blocking: Whenever we block someone's account from our Account, they cannot see our profile.
Restricting: This is a clever Instagram trick that lets the other person know you've restricted them. They won't know if you're online or not, nor if you've read their messages. Once restricted, only you and they can see their new comments on your posts or Reels.
Conclusion
To protect our identity and prevent online fraud, we should continue to review safe social media tips. Nowadays, it is very important to ensure your security on every social media platform. Instagram has provided its users with many excellent tools; all we need to do is use them correctly. Check the settings mentioned above on your account now and ensure your Instagram account is secure. The most important thing we must remember is that our privacy is our greatest asset on the internet.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question 1. Does turning on Two-Factor Authentication prevent account hacking?
Answer: Two-Factor Authentication has a strong layer of protection, preventing 99% of hacking attempts. However, we should still be cautious about accessing our phones and using suspicious links.
Question 2. What should I do if my Instagram account is hacked?
Answer: If our Instagram account is hacked, we should report it to the Help Center early. If you've linked your email address or phone number to your account, it can be recovered.
Question 3. Does turning on Limit Interactions on Instagram reduce your reach?
Answer: No, turning on Limit Interactions does not affect your reach. It only limits your reach to people who are not part of your community.
Post a Comment