What happens when you report someone on Instagram?‍

Reporting someone on Instagram is a way to complain about the profile’s activity and content to the platform. Accounts that post content that goes against Instagram's community guidelines are liable to get reported.

But what happens after you report such content? Does it get deleted, or is nothing done about it?

Here is a detailed guide on what happens when you report someone on Instagram.

TLDR

When you report an account, post, comment, or message on Instagram, the platform takes it seriously and checks if the reported content meets its guidelines or not. 

• When the content meets the guidelines, Instagram rejects the report request.

• When the content is inappropriate and doesn’t match the guidelines, Instagram removes the particular content or may permanently delete the account.

A detailed guide on what happens when you report someone on Instagram

Instagram Restrict vs Instagram Report

Reporting and restricting an Instagram account are appropriate measures to make users feel safe on the platform. The Instagram app takes more or less action against the profile because the reason might be spam, accounts posting inappropriate content, hate speech, or sending hurtful messages. The reason to restrict or report someone on Instagram might be the same but both the terms are different.

Instagram account reporting is a complaint made to the platform about a profile, post, comment, or message. You can report and block a profile at the same time but if you follow them or they follow you back, there won’t be any change. You can visit the same profile and check out their activity anytime you want.

Instagram considers every report seriously and takes time to review. If the platform finds the account’s activity against the community guidelines, the result can be Instagram banning the account. When the reported profile is not violating Instagram's rules, it will not get banned.

However, the platform records your response and the algorithm may limit showing you similar accounts or posts.

On other hand, restricting is a form of account blocking but without limiting access. The restricted Instagram account will not be removed as a follower but they would have limited access to engage with you. You can continue to follow the same person after choosing the option of Instagram restriction. Such accounts won’t be able to see whether you are online or not.

From the restricted account’s perspective, there is freedom of messaging and commenting on your account. The person would be able to comment on your posts, message you and check out your profile. But you won’t be notified by their comments and messages. Instagram’s inbox places their chat conversation in the “Message request” tab. Any activity from them concerning your account is hidden from you.

How to report an account, post, or comment on Instagram that violates community guidelines?

How to report an Instagram account?

Whether it is a spam account, or the person is posting annoying content, you can report the particular profile, post, comment, or direct message by following simple on-screen instructions.

Step 1: Click on the three dots on the top right of the account of the person you wish to report.

Step 2: Select report option

Step 3: Choose the reason for the report.

Step 4: You can report an account below the age of 13 as it is the minimum limit to access the Instagram app.

Step 5: Go back to step 3 and Click on "Something else". Choose the appropriate reason to report someone on Instagram.

Step 7: The account is successfully reported.

How to report a post on Instagram?

Step 1: Click on the three dots above the post you wish to report on Instagram.

Step 2: A bottom menu pops up. Select the report icon.

Step 7: Choose the appropriate reason to report the post and submit it.

How to report a comment on Instagram?

Step 1: Open the comments section and swipe left on the comment you want to delete. Click on the report icon.

Step 2: Click on the "Report this comment"

Step 4: Choose the reason to report.

Step 5: Comment is successfully reported.

How to report a direct message on Instagram?

Step 1: Open the chat of the concerned person and press continuously on the direct message received. Click on the report.

 Step 2: Choose the appropriate reason.

Step 3: Click on "Submit report" and the message is successfully reported.

How does Instagram reporting work?

Posting Content on Instagram must be within the limits of the platform's community terms.

In the past few years, we have seen the platform streamline the process of reporting a profile and inappropriate content with several options. There must be a relevant reason to report someone on Instagram because the platform takes inappropriate content seriously and filters it.

A fake account that pretends to be someone else, and an underage person's profile are liable to report. A new account with too many followers or a profile that posts excessively is considered spam by the platform. Instagram is aware of spam accounts and takes them down very quickly.

Under the section “Something else”, Instagram guidelines define the following valid reasons to report someone on the platform:

• Copyright infringement. 

• Account posting spam content.

• Posts that encourage suicide, self-injury, or eating disorders.

• Sellers of illicit goods such as fake health documents, pharmaceutical drugs, tobacco, and live animals.

• Nudity or sexual content.

• Captions, posts, and comments with hidden symbols, violence, and hate speech.

• Images depicting extreme violence, death, and physical harm. 

• Dangerous organizations bullying people. 

• Posts that harass a person or group.

• Misleading false information related to important subjects.

• Fraudsters and scammers.

What happens to the reported account or post?

If it is a single report, it remains unclear whether the account would be deleted or not.

Not everyone on Instagram likes tolerating a profile posting spam or inappropriate content that hurts sentiments. Chances are that others might have reported the same profile. Multiple reports of the same account, post, or comment quickly gain the platform's attention. More requests are considered real reports and addressed sooner.

Upon receiving reports from multiple users, Instagram’s community review team studies them carefully and takes strict actions. In severe cases, this may lead to the permanent termination of the reported account. For reports including an Instagram post or abusive comment, the account owner is notified after deletion but the profile remains on the platform.

There are times when an account, post, and comment does not seem offensive to the platform. In this case, Instagram rejects the report request for the ban and notifies you of the same. Such posts might fall under Instagram’s community terms and conditions.

Upon rejection of the report request, the reported account would never be notified. The reporter would always stay anonymous.

What happens in intellectual property reports?

Instagram ensures all the users remain anonymous upon reporting an Instagram account, post, and comment. But in the case of intellectual property infringement, Instagram’s terms may differ depending upon the particular country’s law.

Violation of copyright, and trademark comes under Brand rights protection and DMCA. Instagram may reveal identity upon intellectual property infringement as it is a legal matter. Repeated infringements are taken seriously and the user gets banned from the platform.

How to check the status of your report on Instagram?

Step 1: Click on three bars on your Instagram profile.

Step 2: Click on Settings.

Step 3: Click on Help.

Step 4: Click on Support requests.

Step 5: Check for the reports.

What if someone reported you on Instagram?

When someone reports you on Instagram, the platform would check your profile, or the particular post, comment, and message. If your profile and content meet all the guidelines, you don't need to worry as no such action would be taken against you.  

How can you tell if someone reported you on Instagram?

There is no way you can know if someone reported you on Instagram. Users who reported you to stay anonymous and the same happens when you report someone on Instagram.

How many Reports can ban an account?

There is no stated information from Instagram specifying the number of reports required to ban a profile. People still debate whether the number could be as low as 3 or might be high as 100+.

FAQs

Does Instagram notify account reporting?

No, Instagram does not notify a profile upon report. The reporter stays anonymous even if the profile gets banned from the platform. Identities of multiple such users involved in reporting would stay anonymous.

I accidentally reported someone on Instagram, can I reverse it?

There is no way to undo a report on Instagram. If the report was accidental, chances are that the profile or post follows all the guidelines. Hence, no action would be taken against the profile and its content. However, Instagram would notify you upon the rejection of the ban. 

Can excessively reporting other accounts, and content ban you?

No, you won’t be banned on Instagram for excessive report requests.