Are you considering making your Instagram account private? It’s an important decision, especially since Instagram Stories are a popular way for account owners to share photos and videos. But who will be able to see them if your account is private? This article can help provide answers as it examines who can view your Instagram story when your account is private.
1. What Is a Private Account on Instagram?
An Instagram Private Account is a feature that allows users to protect their images, stories and other posts with additional privacy settings. Posts published to a private account can only be viewed by approved followers, making it ideal for users who wish to remain anonymous. To make an Instagram account private, users can adjust their account settings under ‘Privacy and Security’.
Types of Private Accounts
- Personal Accounts: These are private accounts used exclusively by one person. Any posts made to the account can only be shared and viewed by previously-approved followers.
- Business Accounts: Business accounts are private accounts used by registered companies and businesses. They operate in a similar way to personal accounts with additional features for page management and analytics.
Benefits of Private Accounts
- Enhanced Privacy: Private accounts offer additional privacy features, allowing users to avoid unwanted attention or content from unapproved followers.
- Quality Content: Private accounts tend to post more meaningful and genuine content due to the limited audience.
- Secure Uploads: Private accounts champion online security by enabling users to control who can access and share their content.
2. Who Can See Your Stories on a Private Instagram Account?
When it comes to the visibility of your stories on a private Instagram account, the privacy settings are highly important. First and foremost, it’s necessary to make sure that the account itself is set to private, as this will limit who can even access your stories in the first place.
Once this is done, stories will only be visible to approved followers. If someone isn’t already an approved follower, they won’t be able to see your stories, even if they visit your profile.
You can also restrict stories even further by limiting the visibility to specific users, blocking tags or mentions, and limiting who can comment and view stories. You can’t, however, restrict stories to previously approved followers or customize who can see particular stories.
- Your account must be set to private if you want to restrict visibility of stories.
- Stories are visible to approved followers.
- You can restrict stories to specific users, block tags or mentions, and limit who can comment and view stories.
- You can’t restrict stories to previously approved followers or customize who can see particular stories.
3. Can You Hide Stories from Specific Followers?
How to Hide Stories from Specific Followers
Hiding stories from specific followers is possible on social media platforms. The process of hiding stories from certain followers is simple, and takes minimal time.
- Log into your account on the platform you wish to hide stories from.
- Go to your profile and select the story you wish to hide.
- Access your preferences, and look for the setting that allows you to hide the story from some viewers.
- Enter the users you wish to block the story from, or their contact information.
- Save the story and it will automatically be hidden from those followers.
For platforms such as Instagram, the ability to hide stories from certain followers provides practical solutions for privacy and security. This can be beneficial for individuals and businesses alike, as this feature allows them to protect certain posts from well-meaning fans or customers. Allowing users to hide stories from certain viewers is also helpful for users who can be targeted by trolls or unpleasant comments.
4. Exploring Instagram’s Close Friends Feature
What is the Close Friends Feature?
Instagram’s Close Friends feature allows users to share their content with a select few contacts, who are deemed as “close friends”. It allows for ‘invite only’ access to stories, allowing users to share content with a smaller, more intimate group of followers without needing to create a separate account.
Benefits of using the Close Friends Feature
Close Friends provides several advantages for users:
- Maintains privacy: With Close Friends, users can selectively choose who gets to see their posts.
- Acts as a support system: Content can be shared only with a small group of confidants, thus providing an invaluable source of support.
- Reduces stress: Editing posts just for select people leaves users feeling more relaxed, as they don’t have to worry about how it will be received.
How to Set Up Close Friends in Instagram
To use Close Friends on Instagram, users need to create a list of contacts who will be part of this feature. To do so:
- Press the profile icon at the bottom-right corner of the app
- Select the gear icon at the upper-right corner of the profile page to access the Settings
- Choose “Close Friends” from the list of options
- Tap “Add” to add people to the list
- Press the back button once your list is complete
Once the list is saved, users can now post stories that are only accessible to their close friends. This story will appear on their profile page with a green badge indicating that the post is exclusive to their close friends.
5. Best Practices for Protecting Your Privacy on Instagram
1. Familiarize Yourself with Instagram Privacy Settings
Understand the various types of data associated with your Instagram account, such as location and browsing history, and familiarize yourself with the app’s privacy settings. It is important to customize your privacy settings to best suit your needs.
The easiest way to access privacy settings is to go to your user profile page on Instagram. Here, you can easily update your profile details and switch on or off any permissions requested by the app.
2. Refrain from Posting Sensitive or Private Information
Be wary of what information you choose to post online. Personal details such as your phone number, address, and bank account number should not be shared on Instagram for security reasons. Additionally, avoid posting items to Instagram that are sensitive or may expose personal information about yourself or family members.
When in doubt, use caution and refrain from posting any information that could be misused.
3. Check Third-party Applications Permissions
As with any online platform, be cautious when granting access to third-party applications. Apps that request permission to access your Instagram account should be treated with caution. Only grant permission if the app is reputable and the purpose is clear.
Furthermore, check the privacy settings of any third-party applications you decide to install to make sure that the data they request permission to access is necessary. Check the following:
- Activity log: Which data on your account is accessed?
- Advertiser data: How will the information be used?
- Personal information: What type of personal information is requested and why is it necessary?
Take these steps to ensure that your personal data is not being misused by any third-party applications. Ultimately, while private accounts on Instagram can provide welcome privacy, they also have their limits. Remember to weigh out the pros and cons of your own Instagram account, and whether staying private is the right choice for you and your story.
