Being harassed, stalked, or cyberbullied on Instagram can be a distressing experience. If you find yourself in this situation, know that you are not alone and there are steps you can take to make it stop. In this blog post, we will provide steps on how to report harassment on Instagram, and what comes from reporting harassment on the platform so you can take back control of your social media experience.
If you find yourself in this situation, know that you are not alone, and there are steps you can take to make it stop. In this blog post, we will provide steps on how to report harassment on Instagram and what you can expect after filing a report so you can take back control of your social media experience.
What Qualifies as Instagram Harassment
Any conduct that involves repeated, unwanted behaviors intended to cause harm to an individual qualifies as harassment. This can take the form of consistent name-calling, verbal and physical threats, unwanted images or videos, rumors, online blackmail, and much more.
Today, harassment on social media is especially prevalent due to the countless ways a person can harass another without being identified or stopped because of the ability to create new profiles and continue with the abuse. In other cases, the harassment escalates because an Instagram account is hacked and the attacker uses unauthorized access to impersonate the victim or send abusive messages.
What Constitutes Stalking on Instagram?
At a surface level, Instagram stalking can seem relatively harmless. A user may consistently watch your stories, like your posts, or leave frequent comments. However, this behavior can quickly escalate into something more serious, such as harassment, intimidation, or even threats.
When an interaction causes emotional distress or makes the victim fear for their safety or the safety of others, it crosses the line into cyberstalking, a serious and harmful form of online harassment. Be wary of these common stalking behaviors on Instagram:
- Frequent viewing of stories without interaction.
- Liking or commenting on old posts.
- Creating fake profiles to monitor activity.
- Repeated and unsolicited messages.
How to Tell if Someone is Stalking You on Instagram
While Instagram doesn’t let you see exactly who views your profile, there are still signs that can help you spot obsessive or problematic behavior. Paying attention to certain patterns can help you recognize when someone’s interest crosses the line.
Monitor Story Views and Interactions
Monitoring Instagram stories can help spot stalkers because Instagram shows a list of viewers for each story, allowing users to see who consistently watches their content. To see who has viewed your Instagram stories, swipe up from the bottom of your story. If unfamiliar names or non-followers appear often in your story views, it’s a strong indication they’re regularly checking your profile, and possibly going out of their way to do so.
Recognize Unusual Engagement Patterns
Unusual engagement patterns can be a key sign of stalking behavior on Instagram. If the same user consistently likes or comments on your posts within seconds of publishing, it may suggest they’re closely monitoring your activity. Other red flags include interacting with very old posts, frequently reacting to stories, or viewing every story without engaging otherwise. These patterns, especially when coming from someone you don’t know well or at all, can indicate an unhealthy level of attention.
Be Cautious of Unsolicited Contact
Receiving unsolicited messages, particularly from someone you’ve blocked or intentionally ignored, can be a clear warning sign of cyberstalking on Instagram. If that person repeatedly messages you or creates new accounts to get around blocks, it shows a blatant disregard for your boundaries and may quickly escalate into more serious and persistent harassment.
Does Reporting on Instagram Work?
Once you notice you are being harassed, it is helpful to report the incident to Instagram. This will help administrators take notice of the online abuse happening on the platform. If Instagram has enough proof that the user is going against their community guidelines, they can take action against the abuser’s account, such as suspensions or bans.
Although this helps the platform realize what’s happening, reporting harassment on Instagram isn’t always effective. Once an account is reported, it can take days or even weeks to complete a review. Furthermore, harassers can easily create new accounts to continue their abuse.
This is why we recommend victims of online harassment reach out to authorities and cybercrime experts to stop harassment legally if the cybercrime continues or escalates to the point where safety is a concern!
How to Report Someone for Harassment on Instagram
Instagram provides a path for users to report accounts, messages, and posts that violate the terms of service. Follow the simple steps outlined below.
How to Report a Blackmailer’s Profile or Post
- Open the perpetrator’s account or the offending post.
- Click the three dots (…) in the upper right corner.
- Select “Report.”
- Choose a reason for reporting. Select all that apply to your situation.
- Click “Submit.”
How to Report a Blackmailer’s Comment
- Go to the harassing comment.
- Tap and hold the comment.
- Select the red exclamation point “Report” option.
- Choose a reason for reporting. Select all that apply to your situation.
- Click “Submit.”
How to Report a Blackmailer’s Messages
To report an individual message:
- Tap and hold the offending message.
- Click the three dots (…) next to the message.
- Select “Report.”
- Choose a reason for reporting and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Submit your report.
To report an entire message thread:
- Open the conversation.
- Click the “More information” icon.
- Select “Report.”
- Choose a reason for reporting and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Submit your report.
When to Involve Law Enforcement
Instagram stalking and harassment should be reported to law enforcement when it goes beyond making you uncomfortable and begins to cause fear, emotional distress, or involves threats and continued contact, even after you’ve blocked or ignored the individual.
The situation may warrant police involvement if:
- Someone is repeatedly sending you unwanted messages.
- They create multiple fake accounts to follow or contact you.
- They attempt to gather personal information or make you feel unsafe.
This type of abuse is a criminal offense in many regions. If you ever feel threatened or unsafe, contact your local police. For serious or persistent harassment, you can also report the incident to the FBI through the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), the FBI’s hub for cybercrime. Take screenshots of all messages, profiles, and interactions and document them as evidence to support your case.
How to Protect Yourself on Instagram in the Future
While the potential for abusive interactions – including extortion or sextortion on Instagram – is never zero, there are steps you can take to mitigate the risk. Consider implementing the following practices:
- Set your account to private: Go to Settings > Account Privacy and toggle on Private Account to control who can see your posts and stories.
- Limit who can message and reply to your stories: Navigate to Settings > Messages and story replies and choose who can send you direct messages. Restrict it to people you follow to avoid unsolicited contact.
- Restrict suspicious users: Use the “Restricted” feature on accounts that make you uncomfortable. This limits their ability to interact with you or even see when you’re active.
- Hide your stories from specific users: Go to Settings > Hide story and live to prevent certain users from viewing your stories.
Seek Help from Digital Forensics Corp.
Protecting yourself online starts with knowing the signs of Instagram harassment and recognizing when curiosity crosses the line into danger. It’s important to understand when unwanted contact shifts from being unsettling to genuinely threatening. If you ever feel unsafe, don’t hesitate to seek help.
By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can take back control of your social media experience and protect yourself from social media scams, ensuring that those who seek to harm or bully others are held accountable for their actions. If you are blackmailed on Instagram and need guidance on how to report Instagram blackmail or protect yourself – contact our sextortion helpline.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Dr. Viktor Sobiecki
Currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Digital Forensics Corporation, where responsibilities span the leadership of advanced cybersecurity initiatives, data breach incident responses, and corporate strategic planning.
