Millions of people use Instagram every day. People get a shock when their accounts are hijacked by criminals. I will give you tips to protect your Instagram accounts.

Instagram has been a pure photo platform for several years. Numerous influencers earn their money with their postings in the social network ,

Protect Instagram account from hackers

Passwords that are too simple are the perfect gateway for hackers who want to hijack your account. For this reason, it is particularly important to choose a strong password . 

This means using upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. 

Your name, date of birth, phone number, account name or email address have no place in the password. 

You should  change your password regularly  – this will make it harder for hackers. It is also important that you do not use the same access code for several platforms: If the criminals cracked an account, they usually try their luck with other networks as well.

How to change your Instagram password: Open Settings , tap Securityand then on password . There you first enter the current and then the new password – the change is completed with a tap on Save or the tick .

The account with 2-factor authentication is even more secure: You then have to enter a separate security code each time you log on. You will receive this either by SMS to the stored telephone number or via apps such as DUO Mobile and Google Authenticator.

How to activate the additional security level: Go to the settings and select the Security item . From there, tap Two- factor authentication and then Get started to start the process. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

If the account is cracked, a current telephone number and e-mail address are important. According to Instagram, it is only possible to get the account back if this data is correctly stored in the account. You should therefore regularly check whether the telephone number and e-mail address you have stored are still up to date. 

In order to customize these credentials: In Settings , tap Account and then Personal Information . There you will find the items e-mail and telephone number – after the update, end the process by tapping Done or ticking .

Check traffic and Instagram emails

Do you suspect that someone else has logged into your account? In the settings you can see all current sessions. Just tap on Security and then on Login Activity . If you find an unknown session, close it by tapping on the three dots next to it and then on Log off .

Instagram only sends messages via email and not via the direct messages in the app. If you are ever unsure whether the email you received is really from Instagram, check the settings . There you will find all emails from the past 14 days under Security and emails from Instagram .

Protection against online bullying

Young people in particular suffer from so-called cyberbullying. But adults are also increasingly exposed to hatred on the internet – profiles on social networks are a godsend for the perpetrators. With just a few changes, you can protect yourself from attacks on your profile.

The easiest way to protect yourself from prying eyes and attacks is with a private profile. By the way: This is the default setting for users under the age of 18. You can find the option in the settings under the item Privacy – a tap on the slider next to Private account and you already have control over who sees your posts. Block or restrict unwanted users: Both are possible by clicking on the respective profile and then on the three dots – at this point you will find the option Block or Restrict.

 After blocking, your profile can no longer be found by the person and the person can no longer send you messages – if you wish, you can directly include all possible new accounts of the person. If you restrict an account, the person can still see your profile, but they can no longer see the reading status of the messages and whether you are online. Comments under your pictures from this account are only readable by the person until your approval.

In the privacy area , under the items Posts or Mentions , you determine who may mention you in posts or comments. The same applies to message requests and comments:

Hide messages/comments offers the option of hiding unwanted words, phrases and emojis.

You can report accounts, comments, images, and direct messages that violate Instagram’s policies. For pictures, comments and profile, you can find this option by tapping on the three dots – for direct messages, press and hold the message in question. Under the Report function , select which violation it is. Instagram then checks the facts and decides whether a block is necessary or not.