Since the release of Instagram in 2010, the platform has been one of the most popular applications in the world. With over 1 billion users, the social media giant hosts different communities and creators from all over the globe. However, many adults are shifting away from spending time on these applications in an effort to be less active online. Social media can be a huge distraction, and deactivating or deleting your accounts can help improve your focus. Plus, the platform is known for hosting a variety of cybersecurity issues. If you want to learn how to permanently delete your Instagram account, we can help.
Security Concerns on Instagram
Protecting yourself on the Internet is challenging, but Instagram has become more dangerous due to the recent surge of attacks. This includes hacking accounts to obtain financial data or personal information, as well as other cybersecurity violations. If an attacker were to compromise your Instagram account they could steal your private data, photos, and more. This could be used to impersonate you to financial institutions and take out loans in your name. That is just one of the many common methods of fraud that Instagram hackers instigate.
In the past few years, the number of Instagram spambots has been on the rise. These accounts will track certain hashtags, location tags, and keywords on the platform, then reach out through comments or messages. Bots on Instagram are working towards the same goal: stealing your identifying information, whether it’s your personal or financial data.
Typical spam messages will ask you to click on a link that redirects you to another website. These pages are built to capture your data. They may ask you to pay for a product or service, or they might steal your location information. Ultimately, there are many different ways that cybercriminals can launch their attacks through Instagram. It’s important to protect yourself from potential security risks, and deactivating or deleting your account is a popular option.
Suspending Your Instagram Profile
Temporarily disabling your Instagram account is a process that allows you to remove your profile from public view. Suspending your profile does not delete your messages, videos, or photos. If you are looking to take a break from the platform, suspending your account can help. It allows you to control the visibility and access of your account without deleting it entirely. Use the following steps to suspend your Instagram account.
On Mobile
- Open the Instagram application, go to your profile, and click the menu icon in the right-hand corner.
- From the menu, select the Settings option and then click on Account.
- Scroll down to the option at the bottom of the page that says “Delete account.”
- Instagram will prompt you with the option to disable your account instead of deleting it. Select the “Disable account” button.
- Instagram will open a browser window where you will fill in your reason for suspending your account.
- Once you fill in the form, click the button that says “Temporarily Disable Account.”
On Desktop
- Open the Instagram website and log in.
- Visit your profile and select the Edit Profile button.
- From the Edit Profile page, locate and click on the link at the bottom of the page that says, “Temporarily disable my account.”
- Fill in your reason for disabling your account and select the button that says “Temporarily Disable Account.”
If you want to reactivate your account, just log back into your account on the app or website. You can perform an account suspension only once a week, which is important to keep in mind. If you want a more consistent solution, you can also permanently delete your Instagram account.
Deleting Your Instagram Account
These days, there are many different reasons why you may want to delete your Instagram account. Maybe you’re taking a break from social media, trying to focus more at work, or ignoring photos of your ex. Luckily, the process for permanently deleting your Instagram is relatively a simple one. If you want to delete your Instagram profile, we recommend that your first step is saving your photos and videos.
How to Permanently Delete Your Instagram Account
- Open the Delete Your Account page from mobile or desktop.
- Next to “Why are you deleting your account?”, select an option from the drop-down menu.
- Enter your password.
- Click the button that says “Delete [username]”.
It may take up to 90 days for Instagram to delete your account after you submit your request. However, once you go through the deletion process, your data will still be available to you for about 30 days. This is to give account holders time to gather their photos and videos before they disappear from the Meta servers. If you have any issues with obtaining your data, you’ll have to reach out to Instagram support. Once your account is permanently deleted, be sure to remove the application from your mobile device.
If you’re looking for another way to keep yourself secure online, a VPN is a great place to start. Using a VPN gives you more control over your privacy, helping you hide your online activity from prying eyes. Cybercriminals who access your information through your IP address have a harder time hacking your network with a VPN. Plus, a good VPN will even help you get faster download speeds, better connection quality, and more.
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