Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms today. It reached one billion users in 2018, a ten-time increase from 2013. More than 500 million people use it daily. The only two platforms that have more daily users are YouTube and Facebook, which is also the owner of Instagram since 2012. Mark Zuckerberg paid one billion dollars for Instagram, making it one of the largest tech acquisitions in history.
The huge number of users has made Instagram the favorite platform for influencers. People like Jamie Oliver, Jack Morris, and Alexa Chung, who have millions of followers, use Instagram to promote products and earn a substantial amount of cash from it. Of course, when it comes to the number of followers, celebrities hold the throne. Cristiano Ronaldo, Kim Kardashian, Lionel Messi, and Selena Gomes all have 200+ million followers. This allows them to reach a huge number of people in seconds, creating one of the most effective advertising machines in history.
One of the reasons for Instagram’s popularity is partly due to how easy it is to set up and use. All you need to is download the app and complete a hustle-free registration process. PC users don’t even have to do that, as all content is available on Instagram’s site. Just log in and you are good to go. The other reason is that Instagram has made it easy to limit access to users’ pages. If you want, you can restrict who can and can’t view your posts and other details. By setting your account to private, only people who follow you can see what you post.
Private vs Public Accounts
Influencers and public figures usually set their accounts to the public. That way, they increase the number of people who get to see their posts. With that increase comes an increase in reach, as they can influence more people, which is ultimately their goal. Since they have no concerns over privacy, they don’t care who gets to see their posts and they have an army of lawyers at their disposal in case someone steals their intellectual property. Setting their profiles to the public also allows them to get more followers and have more exposure, the things that are basic building blocks of a successful Instagram influencer’s career.
Things are a bit more complicated for users who don’t have ambitions of becoming influencers. They just want to use Instagram to share their memories with their friends and family.
As we mentioned, setting your account to private is a great way to restrict who gets to see your posts. If your Instagram account is for personal use, setting it to private seems like a good idea. It will allow only your friends and family to see your photos and you have full control over your privacy. That, however, creates problems for people who just want to see those posts, without actually following the account. However, there are ways around this that allow people to see even private accounts.
1. Becoming a Follower
This is by far the simplest way of getting to see a private account. Just send a follower request and, once approved, you will have access to whatever that account posts on Instagram. If you are sending a request to someone you know, it usually won’t be a problem and they will approve your request. If you are trying to follow a stranger, things may become complicated, as some people tend not to approve follower requests from people they don’t know. In such a case, perhaps a follow-up message can be helpful. Send them a politely worded DM, explaining why you want to follow them and how you know them. For instance, if you met someone recently, you can mention where and when you two have met. Be prepared to wait a while, since many people don’t check their accounts daily and it may take a day or two for them to notice your request. If they don’t do it in a few days, you may want to send them a polite reminder.
2. Use Another Account
Creating fake accounts to gain access to someone’s private profile is both ethically and morally wrong, but sometimes you don’t have a choice. Make sure that your fake account has similar interests as the one you are trying to get access to. Finding appropriate pictures online shouldn’t be a problem, just don’t make it obvious. Also, use decent photos, both for credibility sake and avoiding getting your new account banned by Instagram. Female accounts have more chances of being approved, so we recommend choosing them.
If creating a fake account seems like a too much hustle or you are simply not prepared to go there, you can use your friends’ accounts, if they are already followers.
3. Instagram Profile Viewer Tools
The other way of getting access to a private account is using Instagram Profile Viewer Tools. Before we explain how, a word of warning. Often, these sites are scams and you should be very careful when using them. By agreeing to their terms of use, you expose your self to malware and viruses that can severely damage your device and create a lot of problems. To use them, you will have to give them your Instagram account details. They usually offer two options, for either viewing the profile in question or directly downloading all the pictures found on it. The later can be a risky proposition, as you can inadvertently download harmful content. Also, it is important to note that using third party software to obtain users’ data is forbidden by Instagram and can get you banned from the platform or even get you in legal trouble. All in all, we can’t in clear conscience recommend using these tools. The risks simply outweigh the benefits by far. Not only will you risk exposing yourself to all sorts of malicious software, risking your personal data, but you can get banned and even sued. It just isn’t worth it over a few photos.
