Instagram allows people to post and share pictures with friends, fans, and family. That connectivity comes with risks. Bullies or criminals can misuse and share private and personal images across the platform.
What if this happens to you? What do you do about it? Here are the best ways to get pictures removed from the world’s biggest image platform:
1. Ask the Poster to Remove It
This might seem obvious, but in many cases, if an Instagram account posts pictures of you that you don’t like, you can simply ask them to remove them. Simply visit the account profile that posted your picture, politely ask them to remove it, and link to the photo in question.
If the poster has uploaded a group photo you happen to be in, and they’re reasonable, they’ll probably remove it. At the very least, they should hopefully offer to blur out your face and re-upload the image.
Of course, this only works if the account isn’t someone out to get you. If that’s the case, then more serious action becomes necessary.
2. Document and Report the Post
If you do not get a positive response to your message or know outright that the poster will not cooperate, it’s time to get serious. Firstly, you should document the post. Take a screenshot of the offending post straight away. This will show evidence of wrongdoing if the person removes the post and you wish to pursue legal action.
Next report the post itself, or even the account, to Instagram. Unlike some social media platforms, Instagram does not have an option for removing photos of yourself posted by others directly in the app. Instead, report the account and the content they have posted.
If you don’t have a profile, you have to use this form instead.
3. Contact the Authorities
This step should be reserved for only extreme cases. For simply posting photos that you don’t like, the police aren’t going to make you a priority. However, in extreme cases of intimate photos, blackmail, or the sharing of personal information, the authorities should be your immediate next step after contacting Instagram themselves.
Email or telephone your local authorities. Make sure that you include the screenshot that you took in the last step and as much information as you can. Depending on your location, specific branches of law enforcement may deal with cybercrime and harassment.
If all other avenues fail, contact us at Hacked.com, and we can fight your corner for you. You can order our removal service here.
Instagram image by PixieMe from Shutterstock.com