If you are selective when it comes to the people you connect with on Instagram, seeing your follower count increase on its own will annoy you. You’ll ask yourself a lot of questions, like, “Did someone hack my account? Does Instagram control my profile without my permission?”
Do you remember tapping “Yes” when an app asked you if they could access your Instagram account, including your information? It looked harmless at the time, but it made your profile vulnerable. To keep your account secure, you must be selective as well when it comes to the apps to which you will link your account.
In some cases, it’s not just you and your third-party apps. Hackers could be involved, especially if your account has a huge following and you are a prominent figure. That catches a hacker’s attention. If this is the case, this requires a higher-level solution. It may even involve an IT professional, which costs money.
So, why does Instagram follow accounts for you? Regardless of whether a third-party app or a hacker causes it, there is an entity outside Instagram. Let’s talk about how we can prevent them from following accounts for you.
Why Does Instagram Follow Accounts for Me?
Seeing people that you don’t recognize on your Instagram feed or your following list isn’t just surprising. It’s also terrifying because it means someone else is secretly using your account.
What if they do something more serious, like changing your password, owning your account, and doing something that can damage your reputation? Scary!
How To Stop Instagram Following Accounts For Me
Here are three methods on how you can keep your account secure.
Method #1: Make Sure Your Password Is Difficult to Guess
Choosing a weak password is actually not an option anymore. Many sites today require that you choose a password that is difficult to guess because hackers now know a lot of ways to access an account.
To ensure your data is safe, connect to a “real” Wi-Fi network if you are in public, don’t click on ads or links carelessly, use different passwords for different accounts, and install an SSL certificate if you run a website.
As the world becomes increasingly digital, hackers are discovering technologies and software programs that help them do their job more easily and successfully. Innovation makes people more vulnerable and hackers more effective!
On top of having a strong password, use two- or three-factor authentication to make your account more secure. And if you think changing your password regularly fits your personality type or lifestyle (some people like sticking to one password for years), then do it.
Method #2: Check the Apps Linked to Your Instagram Account and Remove Those That You Don’t Recognize
Linking an Instagram account to third-party apps is sometimes unavoidable, especially if you want or need to use that app. But make sure that you read the terms before tapping “Yes” to know what you are getting yourself into.
Now, let’s sort out the third-party apps linked to your Instagram account. On your mobile device:
- Click the hamburger icon located in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Tap “Settings”.
- Go to “Security”.
- Go to “Apps and Websites”.
If you do that on your web browser, there are two ways:
- Go to your profile.
- Click on the settings icon beside the “Edit Profile” button.
- Select “Apps and Websites”.
Or, alternatively:
- Click your profile photo in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Click “Settings”.
- Go to the “Apps and Websites” tab.
Do you recognize all of the apps on the list? If some of them seem new to you and you’re sure you don’t need them, then revoke their access. It’s as simple as that.
Method #3: Don’t Allow All Third-Party Entities to Access Your Instagram Account
Prevention is better than cure, isn’t it? If you want to protect your account from hackers, spammers, or anyone who may be interested in your account, don’t allow just any third-party app, website, or person to gain access to it.
Say NO to some of them, and don’t share your password with anyone or store it in a non-secure place.
Do you use or plan on using a password manager? Before you decide which password manager to use, make sure that it is secure because if a hacker gains access to it, they will gain access to all the accounts stored in it. Your password manager isn’t the only thing at risk.
Conclusion
We’ve mentioned three methods to stop Instagram from following accounts for you, but you don’t necessarily have to follow only one. If you want to ensure that your account is secure, you can follow all of them.
But you may wonder, “Why does Instagram do that in the first place?” The thing is, yes, sometimes, Instagram is to blame. But most likely, it happened because you allowed someone or something to do that on your account.
Allowing a third-party app to access your profile information is the same as opening your door to spammers, hackers, bots, and everything. You are basically creating a path—an opening—where people with malicious intentions can pass through.
That said, to prevent these people or technologies from manipulating your account, the most effective way is to close your doors on them.
Even if you have a very strong password, if you give someone or something permission to enter your account, you can’t rest assured that nothing unpleasant will happen. You are vulnerable.
