How to Report an Instagram Account and Get It Deleted: A Complete Guide
Today, social media platforms like Instagram play a huge part in how we interact. Although most content is positive and fun, some accounts have malicious intent. People may attempt to impersonate you or your business/brand and spread false information online. If you’re concerned about this, we’re here to help. This guide covers how to report an Instagram account and get it deleted for defamation or impersonation.
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Steps to Report an Instagram Account
If you encounter an Instagram account that has violated any of the community guidelines, you should report the user. Luckily, Instagram’s user-friendly interface lets you report an account from both the mobile app and web interface. Below is a detailed breakdown for each method.
Reporting via the Mobile App
If you’re using Instagram on your mobile phone or tablet, follow the steps below to report an account:
1. Open the Instagram app and search for the account username you wish to report.
2. On the user’s profile, click the three dots on the top right corner of the page for more options.
3. Among the options, you’ll find an option to Report or Block. Choose Report.
4. Instagram will give you a few prompts to choose your reason for reporting. You might see options like Spam, Inappropriate, or Impersonation. Choose the situation most applicable to your case.
5. After you select the reason, Instagram will confirm your report submission and review your request.
6. In the meantime, you may choose the Block option so the reported account can’t view your profile and content.
Reporting via the Web Interface
If you’re using Instagram on a laptop or PC, follow the steps below to report the account:
1. Login to your account on Instagram.com. Look for the username of the account you want to report.
2. You’ll find three dots near the account’s name and bio. Click on it for more options.
3. Choose Report from the options in the menu. Instagram will then ask for your reason to report.
4. Similar to the app, you’ll find options like Spam and Inappropriate to choose from.
5. Follow any further instructions before submitting your report. Instagram will then review your request.
What Happens After Reporting an Instagram Account?
Reporting an Instagram account isn’t a guarantee that it will get deleted, even if you believe the account has violated the community guidelines. Content can be removed from the person’s page or their account may be temporarily suspended. It is often extreme cases involving illegal activity that gets an Instagram account deleted.
After you submit your report, Instagram begins the review process which includes the following:
Report Confirmation
When you submit your report, Instagram files the complaint into its system. You may get an in-app notification that confirms your report was successful.
Initial Automated Review
At first, Instagram uses artificial intelligence (AI) and automated systems to filter out reports that blatantly violate the app’s community standards. The automated tool may look for specific offensive keyphrases or explicit images and videos when sorting through reports.
Instagram immediately removes the account or content if the AI confirms an obvious violation. However, if there’s still any ambiguity, the report is forwarded for manual review.
Manual Review by Human Moderators
Instagram’s moderation team takes over the review process for more nuanced cases that automated tools can’t confirm. This team includes trained reviewers who evaluate the account or content reported based on community guidelines. They can assess borderline cases like artistic nudity better than bots before deciding.
Decision and Action
After the review process, Instagram makes a decision depending on how severe the violation is. Here are some possible conclusions:
- Content Removal: If a specific content goes against community guidelines, Instagram will take it down. Account
- Suspension: For more serious violations, Instagram will suspend the reported account for a certain period.
- Permanent Deletion: In severe cases where a user promotes illegal activities, Instagram may permanently delete the account.
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How Many Reports Does It Take to Delete an Instagram Account?
Instagram doesn’t require a specific number of reports to ban an account. A common misconception among social media users is that mass reports guarantee an account’s removal from the platform. It all comes down to the account’s “trust score”, a metric that moderation teams use to evaluate trustworthiness and good standing.
Here’s how it works: if an account has a long history of activity on Instagram without violating any terms of service (ToS), it’s unlikely to receive a ban from mass reporting. The account has a high trust score, as the person has demonstrated a level of good standing that will likely protect them from any number of reports.
Think about how a celebrity might receive several hundreds of reports daily from random accounts. But, since they typically have a long-term presence on the platform with minimal violations, they’re more immune to mass reporting.
On the other hand, if you’ve just created an account or have a history of ToS violations, a single report might be enough to remove the account from Instagram. The trust score isn’t high enough for the moderation team to justify keeping the account active.
The Role of Central Escalation Support in Reporting & Deleting Instagram Accounts
While reporting can remove accounts with low trust scores, it’s pretty simple to recover them. The majority of account removal cases go nowhere because the affected user can appeal the report and regain their social media presence.
As a result, our agency instead focuses on Meta’s Central Escalation Support (CES) to remove offending accounts for good. The only way you can access this method is through an agency business manager account. So, if you believe there is a legal framework for taking down an account, our team at Maximatic Media can help you.
If the account is impersonating or defaming you, we assign a representative to file a claim to CES on your behalf. This method ensures a permanent, platform-wide ban for offending accounts within 72 hours and makes it impossible for users to recover them. If they try to create new accounts in the future, the nature of the ban means immediate removal after registration.
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How Reputation Management Services Can Help
If someone is persistently damaging you or your business’s reputation, you should seek the help of a reputation management service.
At Maximatic Media, we can help you:
- Identify Negative Content: We can monitor the web for harmful accounts spreading negative content about you or your brand.
- Take Action: Our team can take effective action to permanently ban these accounts by filing a claim with the relevant authority.
- Rebuild Your Image: We can promote positive content about you or your brand to offset negative online content.
Final Thoughts
The internet should be a safe space where everyone can communicate and interact without fear. By learning how to report an Instagram account and get it deleted, you’re helping make that happen.
If you’re dealing with online negativity and need help, we at Maximatic Media are here to assist. We can track and report harmful accounts and employ strategies to promote a positive image of you or your brand.