Take Down an Instagram Account – Is someone harassing you on Instagram? Want to report and potentially get an offensive or abusive Instagram account taken down?
This comprehensive guide walks through the steps on how to report an Instagram account properly to increase your chances of getting it removed or disabled by Instagram.
Keywords: how to take down an Instagram account, report Instagram account, get Instagram account deleted, Instagram harassment, block Instagram, Instagram violations, disable Instagram
How to Take Down an Instagram Account in 2024: An In-Depth Guide
Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users, making it one of the most popular social media platforms in the world.
While Instagram can be an enjoyable place to share photos, videos, and stories and connect with others, inappropriate or abusive behavior by some users can ruin the experience.
If you have encountered harassment, bullying, impersonation, hate speech, or other terms of service violations on Instagram, you may want to report and take down the offending account.
This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough on how to properly report an Instagram account in order to maximize your chances of getting it disabled or removed by Instagram.
Types of Instagram Violations to Report
Before reporting an account, it’s important to understand what types of behavior and content actually violate Instagram’s Community Guidelines. Some of the main violations that can get an account taken down include:
Bullying/Harassment: Repeatedly targeting an individual with negative behavior or comments to intentionally upset or harass them.
Hate Speech: Content that attacks, insults, dehumanizes, or expresses hatred toward protected characteristics like race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc.
Graphic Violence: Accounts promoting or depicting extreme graphic violence, gore, or threatening violence toward others.
Nudity/Sexual Content: Photos, videos, stories, or live content containing nudity, pornography, or explicit sexual material.
Self-Injury: Content promoting or glorifying self-injury behavior like eating disorders, cutting, etc.
Impersonation: Accounts impersonating others (individuals or businesses) to mislead or deceive people.
Intellectual Property Violations: Accounts repeatedly use copyrighted materials like music, videos, and logos without permission.
Illegal Activities: Content involved in the buying, selling, or facilitation of illegal goods or services.
Spam: Accounts that excessively post unsolicited commercial, promotional, or irrelevant content.
If the account you want to report falls under one of these violation categories, you’ll have a higher chance of getting it taken down compared to more subjective issues like rudeness or differing opinions.
How to Report an Instagram Account (Step-by-Step)
Here are the detailed steps to report an Instagram account that is violating the platform’s policies and guidelines:
1. Collect Evidence
Before reporting an account, it’s wise to gather any relevant evidence that documents the violation(s). This can include:
- Screenshots of offensive posts, comments, messages, stories, etc.
- Video recordings of harassment/abuse that occurred during a live stream or video call
- Links or URLs to specific violating posts/content
- Descriptions of interactions with dates/times if harassment occurred outside of Instagram
- Any communication records related to impersonation or false representation
Having clear evidence makes your report significantly stronger and more likely to be taken seriously by Instagram’s review team.
2. Access Instagram’s Report Tools
There are a few different ways to access Instagram’s reporting tools depending on your situation:
- Report an Instagram Account From Feed/Profile:
- Go to the account’s profile you want to report
- Tap the 3 dots at the top-right to open the options
- Select “Report” then follow the prompts
Report a Specific Post or Story:
- View the post/story you want to report
- Tap the 3 dots at the top-right
- Select “Report” then follow the prompts
Report a Comment or Message:
- Go to the comment or direct message thread
- Long press on the comment/message
- Select “Report” and follow the prompts
Report Something Else:
- Tap on your profile icon in the bottom right
- Go to Menu > Settings > Help > Report Something
- Select what you want to report
No matter which path you take, the subsequent reporting flows are similar.
3. Describe the Issue & Select Violation
After accessing the report tool, you’ll need to describe what’s happening and select the most relevant violation category.
Choose the option that best fits the problem like:
- Bullying or harassment
- Hate speech or symbols
- Nude or sexual content
- Violence or threats
- Self-injury or eating disorder promotion
- Intellectual property or impersonation
- Sale of illegal/regulated goods
Be as accurate and detailed as possible in your description – providing key evidence like screenshots, links, and clear examples. The more context you can give Instagram’s review team, the better.
4. Submit Report to Instagram
After entering all the details and evidence, you’ll be able to officially submit your report to Instagram.
You may be able to track the status of the report in the app’s “Support Requests” inbox. However, don’t expect Instagram to notify you when the review is complete due to privacy policies.
5. Follow Up If No Action Taken
If Instagram doesn’t take action within 1-2 weeks, you can follow up by re-submitting your report request. You may also want to report the account from other angles like:
- Fill out an impersonation report if the account is impersonating you or your business
- Submit an intellectual property violation report if your copyrighted work is used without permission
- Report the account’s Facebook Page (if linked) for the same violation
Getting Others Involved
If you are reporting serious harassment, threats of violence, hate speech, or illegal activities, here are some additional steps to consider:
- Report the account to law enforcement or intelligence agencies if threats seem credible
- Get friends, family, or influencers to also report the same account
- Contact Instagram’s Press team ([email protected]) to raise further awareness
- Reach out to NGOs or anti-harassment/anti-hate organizations for support
The more people report an egregious account for violations, the higher priority it becomes for Instagram’s teams.
Preventing Account Takedowns
Finally, it’s worth noting that innocent accounts can sometimes get falsely reported out of spite or harassment. To prevent this:
- Never participate in hate speech, illegal activities, or intentional harassment
- Avoid engaging with or retaliating against bad actors
- Use privacy tools to proactively block/restrict toxic individuals
- Back up your Instagram content regularly in case the account is disabled
- Move to a business/creator account to access additional protection tools
The vast majority of reports are legitimate. However, taking simple preventative steps never hurts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does it take for Instagram to review a report?
Ans: Instagram doesn’t provide specific timelines, but most reports are reviewed within 1-2 weeks. More serious violations like threats of violence, illegal activities, or hate speech may be prioritized faster.
Q: Will I be notified if Instagram disables or removes the account I reported?
Ans: Unfortunately, no. Due to privacy reasons, Instagram does not notify users about the outcome of specific account reports. You’ll have to check if the account is still active.
Q: What if Instagram doesn’t take any action on my report?
Ans: If no action is taken within 1-2 weeks, you can re-submit your report with any new evidence you have. You can also try reporting from different angles like impersonation, IP violations, business account impersonation, etc.
Q: Can I appeal if my own Instagram account gets disabled by mistake?
Ans: Yes, Instagram has an appeals process for accounts disabled in error. Go to the Help Center, select “My Account Was Deactivated” and follow the steps to request a review.
Q: Will I get in trouble for falsely reporting an Instagram account?
Ans: Intentionally filing fake violation reports can result in a warning or even disablement of your own account by Instagram. Only report legitimate guideline violations.
Q: What’s the difference between reporting bullying vs. harassment?
Ans: Bullying refers to repeated negative behavior targeted at one person over time. Harassment is any unwanted violent, abusive, or sexual advances/comments.
Q: Can you report an inactive or memorialized Instagram account?
Ans: Yes, Instagram still allows reporting of violations on accounts that are inactive or memorialized after a user has passed away.
Q: What happens if an influencer or celebrity’s Instagram gets taken down?
Ans: High-profile accounts may get escalated to Instagram’s Partnerships team for manual review before any enforcement actions.
In Summary
While Instagram strives to be a positive platform, offensive conduct is sometimes inevitable on such a massive social network.
By properly reporting harmful accounts for violations – and providing clear evidence – you can do your part to keep the Instagram community safe and enjoyable for all. Just be patient, persistent, and detailed in your reporting efforts.
