In 2018, researcher Dries Depoorter demonstrated how open-source cameras combined with AI can track when and where Instagram photos were taken — cross-referencing public location data from posts with public camera feeds to identify exactly where you were at specific times. That’s what a public Instagram account enables. Instagram is a Meta product. That means your photo habits, your location, and your daily routine are feeding the same machine as Facebook.
DO / DON’T
DO:
- Set your account to Private — this is the first and most important step
- Use caution when posting images or videos — watch for identifiable locations in backgrounds
- Remember you don’t need to use your real name or birthdate when creating an account
- Change your password at least once a year; enable 2FA at all times
- Supervise teen activity — parents can see search history, messages, and posts
DON’T:
- Use geo-location tags — disabling location access on your device entirely is the cleanest solution
- Connect with people you don’t know
- Forget that family members’ settings can expose your data — if your sister posts a photo of you and her account is public, that photo is public
Account Privacy
Path: Menu > Account Privacy
- Toggle Private Account → ON
- Check this on both mobile and computer — the settings interface is more complete on mobile
Account Center
Path: Settings and activity > Account Center
- Sharing across profiles / Logging in with accounts: Do NOT link Instagram and Facebook
- Under Account settings: review Password and Security, Personal Details, Your Information and Permissions, Ad Preferences
Password and Security:
- Turn off Saved Login — prevents unauthorized access if someone picks up your device
- Under Security Checks → Where You’re Logged In: check for unrecognized devices and log them out
- Enable Login Alerts — get notified when a new device logs into your account
- Change your password at least annually; immediately if you suspect unauthorized access
How Others Can Interact With You
Path: Settings and activity > How others can interact with you
- Messages and story replies: At minimum enable Security Alerts
- Tags and mentions: Set to manually approve tags — even on a private account, a public person tagging you exposes content
- Sharing: Limit what can be shared from your posts
- Limit Interactions: Limit interactions from recent followers and non-followers — reduces bot and harassment contact
Device Permissions & Website Permissions
Path: Settings and activity > Your app and media > Device permissions
- Turn OFF Contacts access — Instagram doesn’t need your contacts
- Turn OFF Location services
Path: Settings and activity > Website Permissions > Apps and websites
- Ensure no apps are actively linked to your account
Supervision (Parental Control)
Path: Settings and activity > Supervision
- Parents can manage teen accounts — view search history, messages, and posts even if the account is private
- Supervision automatically removes when the teen turns 18 — ensure the birthday on the account is accurate
- Recommended for any parent with teens using Instagram
Photo and Location Access
Path: Device Settings > Instagram
- Photos: Only allow access to specific photos at the time of upload — not persistent access to your entire photo library
- Location: Set to Never — if you must allow it for some reason, disable Precise Location
- Allow Tracking: Turn OFF — this prevents Instagram from tracking you across other apps and websites
- Android defaults to tracking off; iOS does not
Google Photos Visibility
If you don’t want Instagram photos showing up in Google Search:
- Revoke access to third-party apps and websites
- Set account to private
- Note: Google may take time to re-index and remove images even after you’ve deleted or locked them down
Discoverability
Path: Computer/web version > Profile > Edit Profile > scroll to bottom
- Disable “Similar Account Suggestions” — prevents Instagram from pushing your profile to strangers as a recommendation
- This setting is only available on the computer/web version, not the app
Reporting and Managing Your Feed
- To report, mute, or unfollow offensive content: menu button (top right of post) → Report, Mute, or Unfollow
- If someone is impersonating you: go to help.instagram.com → Privacy and Safety Center → Report Something → Impersonation Accounts
Removing Yourself from Tagged Content
Path: Profile > Tagged icon > select post > menu at bottom of post > Post Options > "Remove Me From Post"
Note: Even on a private account, if you tag or comment on a public post, that comment is visible to all. Feature availability varies by device.
Go private first. Right now. Settings → Account Privacy → Private Account. Everything else can come after, but the private toggle is the single highest-impact action on this page.