Instagram is already one billion strong and as it continues to grow, issues and questionable practices (and accounts) will continue to come up. The photo-sharing app has now released three new tools that will help make the community “safe”. These will try to keep nefarious people off the platform before they cause any harm. There will be a new way of evaluating the authenticity of users with large followings, a global verification form, and an improved two-factor authentication system.
There is a growing trend of accounts with a lot of followers but they got them through not so authentic ways. To be able to understand and determine if the accounts we follow and interact with are the real deal, Instagram is introducing the “About this Account” feature. You can check this out by going to the Profile of the account and then tapping the menu. You can see when they joined Instagram, where the user/account is located, accounts with shared followers, username changes within the year, and for even more transparency, any ads that the account is running.
Those who own these large accounts will be able to review the information about their accounts by September. The tool will then be available to the global community after that. Instagram says it was the community itself that said it’s important to understand these accounts especially if they’re sharing information on current events, political issues, and social causes.
The blue verified badge is also pretty important when it comes to making sure that the account is authentic. Now Instagram will let accounts apply for verification from within the app itself. Just go to your Settings and tap Request Verification. You will be asked to provide your username, full name, and a copy of your legal or business identification. They will then review your request and you’ll receive a notification whether you have been confirmed or rejected.
Lastly, Instagram will now let you use third-party authentication apps to be able to log in to your account. Go to your profile and then head to settings and choose two-factor authentication. Choose “Authentication App” and if you already have one installed on your phone, it will send a login code to it. If you don’t have one yet, it will send you to the Google Play Store to choose one. These tools will start rolling out to users within the week.
SOURCE: Instagram
