Hidden risks: tags on Instagram

Trust and Safety pros like to say that anything a user can control can be used to harass someone. Tags on Instagram are not an exception. 

Although tags may seem innocuous, they can come back to bite you in two different ways: as a way for harassers to expose you to upsetting content, or as a way for stalkers or scam artists to learn sensitive information they can weaponize against you.

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The risk for private Instagram accounts 

You could be tagged in: 

• Deepfake intimate images 
• Pictures of private or embarrassing moments from your past 
• Derogatory, defamatory, or rude images 

And even if your account is private, those tagged posts will instantly show up under the tag section of your profile. 

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The risk for public Instagram accounts

If your account is public, and you are worried about stalking, harassment, theft, or fraud, a well-meaning friend or family member could accidentally tag you in a post that shows: 

• Who your loved ones are — so they’re easier for an attacker to find and harass
• Where your home is, either directly or indirectly, by showing windows, street signs, or recognizable architecture — so a stalker or harasser can figure out where you live and show up there 
• Where you regularly hang out — so you’re easier for a stalker or harasser to find 
• If you’re currently on vacation — which marks you as a potential target for theft 

Fortunately, you can minimize the risk posed by Instagram tags by updating a setting so you approve tags manually. 

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How to turn on the “manually approve tags before they appear on my profile” setting

You can fix this setting from both mobile and desktop, if you know where to look. 

On mobile:

1. Navigate to your profile 
2. Tap the three bars in the top right corner
3. Select “Settings and privacy” 
4. Scroll down to “How others can interact with you” 
5. Tap “Tags and mentions” 
6. Tap “Manually approve tags” 
7. Toggle on “manually approve tags” 

On desktop: 

1. Visit How Others Can Interact With You
2. Scroll down to “Manually approve tags” 
3. Select “Manually approve posts when you’re tagged in them”

You should receive a notification any time you’ve been tagged in a new post. If you find that you’re starting to see harassment via tags and you’d like to limit your exposure to the negative content, also consider switching “who can tag you” to “Allow tags from people you follow” or “Don’t allow tags”.

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