As an active user on Instagram, you have the freedom to choose whether your profile should be public or private. If you opt for a public profile, your posts can be accessed and interacted with by both your followers and non-followers. Additionally, your followers and non-followers can view the list of accounts you follow, and those who follow you.
Why Would You Need to Hide Your Friends on Instagram?
Social networks were originally created for the purpose of connecting with friends and providing insight into others’ lives, but unfortunately, they have also become a tool for malicious individuals, such as stalkers and cyberbullies.
When it comes to social networking sites, privacy and security are a top priority. While these platforms are designed for connecting with friends and sharing glimpses of your life, they can also be used for malicious purposes by stalkers and cyberbullies.
On Instagram, it’s possible to hide your friends from someone who may be using your account to gain access to them. By default, Instagram displays your followers and following lists to anyone who visits your public page.
To regain control over who has access to your followers and following lists, you have three options: make your account private, restrict the person or persons, or block them entirely.
Turning your account private or blocking someone are both familiar concepts. However, restricting someone on Instagram means limiting their access to your account without completely cutting them off.
Restricting someone on Instagram offers a level of control over who can interact with your account. When you restrict someone, they will not be notified of the action, and they will not be able to see when you’re online or if you’ve read their messages. Furthermore, any comments they make on your posts will be hidden from everyone but themselves, and you can choose whether or not to see them. This feature can be helpful for dealing with cyberbullies or anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable on the platform while still allowing you to maintain control over your account.
How To Change Your Account From Public To Private
As you consider making your Instagram account private to protect the privacy of your friends, it’s important to ensure that your followers are trustworthy. You wouldn’t want to restrict access to your account only to find out that the stalker is one of your followers. Once your account is private, only your approved followers will be able to see your follower count and the accounts you follow.
Fortunately, making your account private is a simple process that can be done on both iOS and Android devices. Here are the steps to follow:
- Open your Instagram app and go to your profile.
- Tap on the three horizontal lines at the top right corner of the screen.
- Select “Settings” from the bottom of the menu.
- Scroll down to “Privacy” and select it.
- Toggle on the “Private Account” option.
- Confirm your choice by tapping “Yes” on the pop-up window.
By following these simple steps, you can quickly and easily make your account private and limit access to your content to only those you trust.
How To Restrict Someone From Your Account
Restricting someone on your Instagram account does not necessarily hide your friends from them. However, you can ask your friends to restrict the person so that they have limited access to their accounts.
As previously mentioned, restricting someone means that their comments become invisible, your activity status is hidden, and read receipts for messages are toggled off.
To restrict an account from your Instagram, whether on your Android or iOS device, follow these steps:
- Launch the Instagram app and sign in if you haven’t already.
- Click on the profile icon located at the far right of the bottom navigation bar.
- Tap on the three-line menu at the top right of the profile page.
- Click on “Settings” and then tap on “Privacy”.
- Tap on “Connections” and select “Restricted Accounts”.
- On the page that appears, tap “continue” and type in the account you want to restrict in the search box. Once the name pops up, tap on the “Restrict” button beside their name.
How To Block Someone On Instagram
Blocking a person on Instagram is a foolproof method of preventing them from viewing your profile and accessing information about your friends. This approach is particularly useful if you don’t want the person interacting with your posts.
To block someone on Instagram using either your Android or iOS device, follow these simple steps:
- Launch the Instagram app and sign in to your account.
- Navigate to the search box and type in the account name of the person you want to block.
- Click on their profile icon to open their page.
- At the top right corner of the page, click on the three-dot icon.
- In the menu that appears, tap on the “Block” option.
- Confirm that you want to block the person in the pop-up message that appears.
When an account is blocked, the person will be unable to search for your account, tag you, or mention your username in any post. The block option essentially severs all ties between you and the person on Instagram.
Conclusion
While it may not be possible to directly conceal your friends from an Instagram account, there are several courses of action you can take to address the situation. If you feel that the account in question poses a danger to you or your friends, you can report it to Instagram. However, if the issue extends beyond the platform, it is essential to contact the relevant authorities promptly.
