Remove Fake Followers & Spam Accounts/Comments
We’ve all had those random accounts comment on our posts or message us directly, usually telling us to follow another account or visit a website. Not only is this annoying, but it can also put your information at risk! Some accounts message people a link, or include one in their bio, that will extract your personal information and allow them to hack into your account.
The best way to prevent your followers from falling for these scams? Removing and blocking fake followers and their comments.
Let’s talk about Instagram, one of the biggest sources of spam accounts and comments.
If someone comments something like this on your post:
The first thing you’ll want to do is remove the comment. You can choose to either delete the comment entirely or restrict it, which means that only you will be able to see it. To manage your comments, go to your post and press “View all __ comments” to go to the comments section. Then, press the three dots in the upper right corner.
You’ll see a menu come up at the bottom, and you’ll want to press “Manage Comments.”
Once you’re at the “Manage Comments” screen, choose the comment you’d like to delete or restrict. Then, pick whichever option you’d like! You can also block the account from here, which will prevent them from viewing your posts, commenting on them, and messaging you.
Now that you know how to remove comments, let’s discuss removing followers.
Although a high follower account looks good, lots of spam comments and messages certainly do not! Removing fake followers will keep your account looking more professional and let you focus on the comments and messages that matter.
In the old days, you had to go onto someone’s account and block, then unblock them to remove them as a follower. However, it’s now very easy to remove followers right from your profile! Just visit your profile, then click on your follower list. Next to each name, you’ll see a small button that says “Remove.” Just press this button next to the spammer’s name, and you’re good to go!
Remember: fake followers and spam accounts may seem harmless, but there are a few out there that can actually be very dangerous! Never click on any links sent to you by someone you don’t know, and never click the links in a spam account’s bio. Hackers may be able to gain access to your account just because you visited that page.
Reporting & Blocking Accounts
While removing fake followers and spam accounts, you might want to consider blocking and reporting them, as well. When you report an account, the platform will be notified of what’s been going on. After reviewing it, they may decide to take the account down entirely to prevent them from bothering anyone else. When you block an account, they won’t be able to see your page, comment on your posts, or message you anymore.
How to Block & Report Accounts on Instagram
Blocking and reporting accounts on Instagram is simple. Just go to the person’s page, and press the three dots in the upper right corner. A menu will pop up, and from there, you can choose to “Block,” “Report,” or both.
If you choose to report an account, Instagram will keep you updated and let you know whether or not they’ve chosen to take action against the user. After you submit the form, Instagram will ask you if you’d like to block the user as well.
How to Block & Report Accounts on Facebook
While you’re more likely to have an issue with spam and hackers on Instagram, certain Facebook accounts may give you trouble as well. If you need to block or report someone on Facebook, here’s how to do it.
First, visit the profile of the person you want to report or block. Right underneath their name and profile picture, on the right side of the screen, you’ll see three dots.
Click on the three dots, and you’ll see two options at the bottom of the menu: “Find support or report profile” and “Block.”
If you’d like to just block the account, just click “Block” and you’re done! If you’d like to report them instead, you’ll need to fill out a form expressing the exact reason why and then send it to Facebook for review. If you’d like to block the user after you report them, just go back to their profile and press “Block.”
Other Tips to Keep Your Accounts and Information Safe
Taking small steps to keep your information safe online is the best way to prevent unauthorized access and privacy issues. These things don’t take long or require a lot of effort, and you’ll be glad you did them in the end!
Use Special Passwords for Your
Social Media
Many of us have a habit of using the same password for every account we have. Although this makes it much easier to remember your passwords and login to your accounts correctly the first time, it poses a huge risk if the password gets into the wrong hands! You should always use a strong, unique password for each of your social media accounts.
When choosing your password, try to include at least one of these things:
● Capital letters - not just at the beginning of each word! Using capital letters randomly throughout your password will make it almost impossible to guess.
● Numbers - the same practice applies here. Try replacing letters with numbers, such as a “1” instead of an “I” or an “L.”
● Special characters - things like exclamation points and question marks at the beginning, middle, or end of your password will also strengthen it. You can even try replacing letters with special characters, like an “@” for “A” or a “/” for “I”!
If you’re worried about not being able to remember your unique passwords, you can always write them down and keep the paper somewhere safe.
Turn on Two Factor Authentication
Two factor authentication is now available on most social media platforms. You may have seen a pop-up asking if you’d like to turn it on, but what exactly does this mean?
When you turn on two factor authentication, you’ll get a code sent to either your phone number or email address that you’ll have to enter after your password to prevent unauthorized access. It can be a bit annoying to have to do both, but it’ll prevent anyone other than you from logging into your accounts!
Turning on two factor authentication can usually be done by adjusting your settings. For example, here’s how to turn it on through Instagram!
First, go to your profile and press the menu icon in the top right corner.
From the menu, choose “Settings,” then “Security.”
Once you get to your security settings, choose “Two Factor Authentication,” and you’ll be brought to a screen that will help you set it up. Once it’s done, you’re ready to start using two factor authentication!
Keep Your Private Event Information Private
The Internet has made it very simple to invite a lot of guests to an event, both virtually and in person. However, unless you’re hosting a public event, you want to make sure that only invited guests know where it’s at! Here’s how to keep your address, phone number, and other personal information private when dealing with events.
Creating a Facebook Event is a great way to invite a lot of guests to an event without having to call each person or send out invites. However, you want to make sure the location of the event is kept private, especially if it’s at someone’s home!
When you’re creating your event, there will be a toolbar on the left side of the screen. If you look towards the bottom, you’ll see a drop-down menu labeled “Privacy.”
Click on this menu, and check the box that says “Private.” This way, only people who you invite to the event can see the page and all the information on it.
Never Post Zoom Links in Public Spaces
A ton of people these days are using Zoom for virtual meetings, happy hours, and game nights. You need a special link to join a Zoom meeting, which ensures that anyone who is not supposed to be there does not join. However, this built-in security measure is lost when you post the link on a public page!
When you’re inviting people to a Zoom meeting, you should only post the link if it’s on a private page, like a private Facebook Event. Otherwise, just email or text your invitees the link to prevent any party crashers from showing up!
Keep Yourself Safe Online!
Sometimes, it’s hard to know what is and isn’t safe to do online. The Internet is getting more advanced every day, and it’s important to keep up with the changes to make sure you and your personal information are safe online. Make sure to follow all of these tips so you’ll be less likely to have a privacy or security issue with your accounts.