With more than 2 billion users on Instagram, it’s understandable that the company relies on algorithms and bots to automate content filtering and moderation. There are still many users who suddenly lose access to their accounts and then learn about the dark ban from Instagram. It’s a sneaky way to act as a barrier to user engagement and reach. Here’s everything you need to know about Instagram Shadowban and how to avoid it.
Before it gets confusing, let’s make one thing clear first – ‘Shadowban’ is not an official term on Instagram. But the company reserves the right to hide your account from search results, remove comments and even exclude your posts from the ‘Discover’ page. This practice heavily impacts your account’s reach and affects overall engagement. Shadowban can affect you when you rely on Instagram to run your business or want to use Instagram’s guidelines as an influencer.
How does Instagram Shadowban work
Back in 2019, Instagram started demoting vaguely inappropriate content on the platform. If a post suggests an adult theme or has a bad, violent, or hurtful meme, Instagram will begin to demote the post. Instagram will not make posts appear in Explore pages or hashtags for the wider community.
Some users have taken advantage of Instagram’s not-so-strict community guidelines to share violent, shocking and sexually explicit content. Since these users don’t violate Instagram’s guidelines, the company can’t ban them, but with a recent change, Instagram can limit its reach by hiding posts and accounts in Instagram. application.
As we mentioned earlier, Instagram uses machine learning to determine if the actual media posted is eligible for community recommendations. In short, Instagram can ban your seemingly inappropriate content.
Since Shadowban is an automated process, many users feel that Instagram is suppressing their voices on the platform. After all, there’s no way to know if your posts are affected by the shadow ban. Instagram has announced a new “Account Status” tool to address growing concerns in 2020.
Use account status
Account status will help you better understand how Instagram’s community guidelines affect your account. Using Account Status, users can see if their posts have been taken down, flag if they disagree with Instagram’s actions, and take next steps. Here’s how you can use it.
Step 1: Open Instagram and tap the profile icon in the lower right corner.
Step 2: Tap the hamburger menu in the upper right corner and select ‘Settings’.
Step 3: Select ‘Account’ and press ‘Account Status’ from the following menu.
Step 4: If your account is not affected by the shadow ban, Instagram will display the following message for your account (check screenshot below).
Whenever you feel your Instagram reach has been impacted, go to the Account Status menu in Settings and receive notifications about your account.
Reason for Instagram Shadowban
While Instagram doesn’t explicitly mention any possible reasons behind Shadowban, here are some points that could get your account penalized:
- Violating Instagram’s community guidelines or posting inappropriate content may result in a shadow ban on the platform.
- Fake interactions like paying for new likes and followers can lead to a shadow ban on Instagram.
- When you use banned hashtags on Instagram, the company may limit your account and posts on the Explore page.
- When you add too many hashtags to a post, Instagram’s algorithms can detect it as spam and limit its reach.
- The company may process your posts if you regularly engage in a trending hashtag.
How to Avoid an Instagram Shadowban
Now that you know the reason behind Instagram’s shadow ban, here are some tips to avoid it:
- Avoid using sketchy third-party tools to automate your Instagram account. If Instagram detects unauthorized access, it could affect the reach of your account on the Explore page.
- You should not spam on Instagram by following too many accounts in a short time.
- Avoid using banned or broken hashtags on Instagram.
How to delete Instagram Shadowban
If your Instagram engagement is dropping, you can check the “Account Status” menu in the app settings first (refer to the steps above). You can report a shadow ban to Instagram, remove third-party apps connected to your Instagram account, and check for hashtags in affected posts.
Once you figure out what’s really affecting your Instagram account, you can always publish a new post and make sure to follow the company’s guidelines.
Find out why your Instagram reach is decreasing
Instagram’s shadow ban didn’t always go unnoticed. The company has apologized after removing the semi-nude image of black model – Nyome Nicholas-Williams. In another case, Instagram received a lot of criticism when the company started removing posts about the MMIWG (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls) campaign. Does your Instagram account face Shadowban? How did you solve it? Share your experience with our readers in the comments below.
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