The rise of social media applications like Instagram has provided users with the ability to communicate and stay connected with their friends and family. While this promotes healthy interaction and relationships, some users may find themselves in troubling scenarios, such as being restricted by someone on Instagram. It is important to be aware of the implications of restricting someone on Instagram, as it can have serious consequences. This article will explore what happens if you restrict someone on Instagram and the potential consequences of doing so.
I. What is Restricting Someone on Instagram?
Restricting someone on Instagram is a form of protection, allowing you to choose what posts you see from someone and who can post to your timeline without formally blocking them. Restricting someone on Instagram affects interactions in four main areas:
- Comment visibility
- Direct messaging
- Posting to your timeline
- Seeing when you’re online and when you’re active on Instagram
When someone is restricted, comments they make on your posts can only be seen by that person and their followers. If a comment is hidden by Instagram, it won’t be visible to anyone—except the person who made the comment. Any comments the restricted user makes on your posts will not appear in your notifications and will not show up on your timeline. Additionally, a restricted user can’t send you any Direct Messages. They will be blocked from sending them to you.
Restrictions do not impact people that you’ve un-followed. Un-following someone is a way of unsubscribing from someone’s posts and letting them know that you don’t want to see any more of their posts. Restricting someone is only visible to you and the person whose account you’ve restricted.
II. What Are the Consequences of Restricting Someone?
When it comes to restricting someone, there are usually numerous consequences to be aware of. It is important to understand these reactions in the hopes of avoiding them, or at least being able to manage them in an appropriate way.
Physical Consequences
A person who is restricted in any way may end up experiencing physical reactions. This may include:
- Fatigue
- Physical weakness
- Headaches or other body aches and pains
- Nausea
- Faster/slower heart rate
Emotional Consequences
The emotional outcomes of the act can be even more difficult to manage and understand. This could include:
- Anger
- Resentment
- Depression
- Feelings of guilt or shame
- Fear of future retribution
If a person is restricted quite often, or in a particularly severe way, it can have a long-lasting impact on their state of mind, feelings, and perspective. Restricting someone can cause ongoing behavioral issues, such as social withdrawal, lack of motivation, and a decrease in work performance.
III. How Can You Restrict Someone on Instagram?
- Remove the Follower
If you don’t want to keep someone as a follower or if their activity has become too much, you can remove them as a follower. All you need to do is go to their profile, click on the three-dots button in the top right, and then select “Remove Follower” from the menu. This will remove them from your followers, but they’ll still be able to view your profile.
- Restrict Someone’s Account
If you think someone’s activity needs to be limited, you can restrict their account from viewing your profile or sending messages. To do this, go to their profile and click on the three-dots button in the top right. Select “Restrict” from the drop-down menu, and then confirm the action. This will make it so they can only see posts that you have marked as “public.”
- Block Someone
If you want someone to not see your profile or interact with you at all, you can block them. You can do this by going to their profile and clicking on the three-dots button in the top right. Select the option to “Block” and then confirm the action. It’s important to note that this cannot be undone, so use it with caution.
IV. What Are the Benefits of Restricting Someone?
Restrictions can benefit some individuals by providing safety, both physical and psychological.
Protection From Harm – Knowing that someone or something is restricted can give a sense of relief and assurance that the prescribed individual or concept will be blocked from causing or experiencing any foreseeable harm. Those who experience mental illness and need structure in their lives can benefit by having boundaries set, which provide them a sense of security.
Focus on What is Important – Pre-determined restrictions can also be an effective way of highlighting what is important and securing it a priority status. This can help simplify complicated situations by providing clarity to what should be focused on. Restricting someone or something may also stop it from being taken for granted, making them more appreciated.
- Focus On Core Values
- Limit Distractions
- Prioritize Goals & Outcomes
Eliminate Unnecessary Risk – Restricting someone or something can help reduce the risk of undesirable future outcomes or prevent them completely. This can be helpful if the intent is to reduce a probability of failure and protect against potential liabilities. Understanding and following individual boundaries can help make it easier to identify any risks ahead of time, allowing them to be addressed or eliminated as needed.
V. What Happens When You Unrestrict Someone?
If you unrestrict someone on your account, it can have several different effects. The exact consequence depends on the security setup of the account and requires you to analyze what is best for your particular instance.
- Access to Sensitive Information: Unrestricting someone may provide them with access to sensitive information that was previously restricted. This can include financial data, personal data, or other sensitive material.
- Ability to Complete Actions: Once someone is unrestricted, they will be able to take certain actions on the account, such as making purchases, generating reports, and more.
- Possibility of Detection: Unrestricting someone also increases the chance that they can be detected. For instance, if you have security measures in place, unrestricted users may be visible in that system.
Along with the security implications to consider, there are also some social aspects that may play a role in deciding whether to unrestrict someone. Unrestricting a user can be seen as a sign of trust in that user, and is a powerful tool if used correctly.
We hope this article has given you a better understanding of the restrictions available on Instagram and how they work to protect its users from undesired interactions. Remember, there are always measures you can take to protect yourself from people that make you feel uncomfortable, so don’t hesitate to take action if necessary.
