Facebook is no longer the name of the company that owns Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. A lot of things to Change Instagram Privacy Settings on PC and Phone. when the company changed its name to Meta in October of last year. One reason is that those apps still share data, technology, and infrastructure.
The personal information you give Instagram is also used for business reasons, like showing you ads on Facebook and across the internet if you’re an Instagram user. You can’t control as much of your information on Instagram as you can on Facebook, but there are settings you can change if you want to.
While Instagram’s parent company can still see the data it collects, you can change how that data is used. You can stop the app from getting your location data, make your posts only visible to certain people, and change how targeted ads work, among other things. Most Instagram users access the site through the app, but some privacy settings can only be reached by logging in through a browser.
Why Is Privacy Important on Instagram?
- In order to keep your private data safe. Instagram gets a lot of personal data from its users, like their name, email address, phone number, location, and the kinds of things they like. This information can be used to show you more relevant ads, but it can also be used for bad things, like identity theft or stalking.
- To decide who can see your content. The Instagram account you make is public by default, so everyone in the world can see your posts and stories. This might be fine for some, but for others, they need to be able to choose who sees their stuff.
- In order to keep yourself safe from abuse and harassment. Instagram is a fun way to stay in touch with family and friends, but it can also be used to hurt people and say mean things. Harassers will have a harder time getting in touch with you and seeing your content if you make your account private.
How to Change Instagram Privacy Settings on PC and Phone
- Go to instagram.com and log in to your account.
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen.
- Click on “Settings“.
- Click on “Privacy“.
Account Privacy
- Public: Anyone on the platform can see your profile, follow you, and see your posts if you make your account public.
- Private: Only people you choose to follow you can see your profile and posts if your account is private.
- Only Approved Followers: This is like a private account, but it only lets people you’ve given permission to see your profile and posts.
| Feature | Public Account | Private Account |
|---|---|---|
| Who can see your posts | Anyone | Only approved followers |
| Who can see your stories | Anyone | Only approved followers |
| Who can send you direct messages | Anyone | Only approved followers |
| Who can tag you in posts | Anyone | Only approved followers |
| Who can see your location history | Anyone | Only approved followers |
| Can you make individual posts private | Yes | Yes |
| Can you make individual stories private | Yes | Yes |
Story
- Hide Story From: You can choose who to hide your stories from in the search bar below the title. Select “Hide Story From.”
- Close Friends: You can change your CFS here. If you want to know what CFS means, you can tweet it. It’s called “Close Friends” on Instagram Stories. You can make a list of close friends and only share stories with those people. Choose the green “Close Friends” button when you post a Story. Then, only the people on this list can see your Story. People will not be told about your changes after you make them. If you tap the search bar under the title, you can choose people from the list.
Tags
You can change the tags on your posts here. Under “Tag Controls,” you can choose to approve tags by hand. If you click on the “Manually Approve Tags” button, other users will be able to ask for your permission to tag you in their posts.
- Press the “Edit” button.
- Pick a picture or a video.
- Choose “Hide” or “Remove.”
Message Privacy
- This setting tells the platform who can send you direct messages (DMs).
- Anyone: You can get direct messages from anyone on the platform.
- Only from People You Follow: The only people who can send you a direct message are those you follow.
- No One: No one, not even people who follow you, will send you a direct message.
Activity Status
There are not many things to say about Activity Status. The only option is to allow ‘Activity Status’ to be seen. You can make this adjustment through the switch, like others. Yet when it is turned off, you will not be able to see the Activity Status of others as well. If there is a problem with the activity status, you can contact Instagram Support.
FAQs
You can get to your profile by tapping your picture in the bottom right corner. Press the top button. Click on Who can see your stuff. There is a box next to Private Account that you can check.
This part will be different for each device and Android version, but it’s usually simple to find. You can choose who can see your photos by going to “Permissions” and selecting “Allow.” You need to make sure that the switch that lets Instagram access your device’s photo library is turned on for photos.
No, people will see the IP address of Instagram’s servers instead of your app’s. If the sender sends you a message with a link, and you click on it, they can track you because your device is the one that opened the link. The IP address that shows up in the logs is not yours if you use a VPN. It is the IP address of the VPN servers.
