Do you think someone is stalking you on Instagram? Do you believe someone has a hidden crush on you and is tracking you online? Do you want to know if anyone is overly interested in what you do on social media?
How to See Who Stalks Your Instagram
The reality is that you have no way of knowing who has been looking at your profile.
If anyone visits your Instagram profile but does not like or comment on something, they leave no evidence that they were there. There are suggestions that the Instagram algorithm ranks Instagram likes and followers based on stalkers, but in the end, you can’t say who viewed your Instagram.
The Only Way to Know Who’s Watching
Instagram Story Views
Instagram Stories are a carbon copy of Snapchat Stories and work almost identically. You build a Story, which is public for 24 hours before disappearing.
In the app, you select someone’s profile to see their stories, and they do the same to see yours. Instagram Stories, like Snapchat, show you who has seen your post.
You will see who has seen one of your own Instagram Stories by swiping up. Each person who viewed your story will be identified by their username on the screen. Although this has not been proven, some assume that the order in which names appear shows how often they have viewed it. Of course, Instagram has never verified this, but it’s an intriguing idea nevertheless.
Catching the Stalker
Instagram Stories are the only way to learn WHO is viewing your content. Instagram Analytics will tell professional account owners how many people viewed their posts, but it will not reveal the account that is watching them. So far, we’ve devised one workaround strategy for identifying your Stalker.
When you post an Instagram Story, you can choose to hide it from others. This differs from the ‘Close Friends’ list, which informs the user that you are only sharing it with those people.
Assuming you suspect someone is stalking your content, create a Story and conceal it from anyone on your list. Before you post your Story, go to the Story Settings and select the ‘Hide Story From’ choice. Choose all but the person of interest. This means they won’t realize they’re the only ones who can see the Story.
Not only will you be able to see that they viewed it, but if you’re using Instagram Analytics, you’ll also be able to see the view count rise each time they do. You’ll know it was them if they watch the Story several times because they’re the only ones who have access to it.
Unfortunately, this is the only way we know of determining whether or not anyone is deliberately searching out your material to watch over and over. If you do not have Instagram Analytics activated, this will just tell you whether or not they watched it.
Other Ways to Test if Someone is Stalking You On Instagram
Aside from showing you who has seen your Instagram Story, there is no other way to say what is going on within the app. Instagram does not have as much detail on who is doing what as Snapchat does.
So if no one leaves a comment or otherwise engages with you, you’re in the dark.
Third-Party Apps
There are several third-party apps, browser extensions, and websites that claim to show you who is looking at your profile. Many of these are ineffective, while others need access to your personal information for malicious purposes.
Although there may be some legitimate resources out there, users should beware of the dangers of using such a service. Read the reviews and do your research on the developer before signing up for anything.
Dealing with Instagram Stalkers
- Open Instagram profile on the lower right of the screen and select the three-line menu icon.
- Select Settings and Privacy.
- Under Account Privacy, toggle on Private Account.
Only those who follow you will be able to see your Private Account. People who wish to follow you may give you a letter, which you will accept or reject at your discretion. This setting reduces your visibility on Instagram by allowing you to control who sees your profile and photos.
Wrapping Up
Instagram is a fantastic app for sharing photographs and videos with friends, family, and fans, but it is not the safest app for those worried about their online privacy.
As of now, there is no way to tell if anyone is stalking you on Instagram. As for every social media site, always be careful of what you share while using Instagram.