4 Things That Can Get You Banned On Instagram

Whether you use Instagram as yet another app to stay connected with loved ones or to make a living, the last thing any user would want to wake up to is the news that their account has been suspended without warning. Once the initial panic fades, it's best to switch into action mode as quickly as possible. Instagram may allow you to appeal their decision if you believe Instagram made a mistake on their end suspending you.

Instagram allows users to deactivate their account themselves when they need a break, and deactivated accounts appear as "Instagram User" when someone tries to search for them. The same happens when Instagram disables an account, but unlike a deactivation, you won't have the option to log back in. When Instagram disables an account, it's essentially as if it never existed in the first place. In addition to your profile not showing up in Instagram searches, all your posts and stories will disappear, and any comments and likes made from your account will no longer be visible.

The email or notification you receive will likely say "We disabled your account". It'll also include the exact date Instagram took action. What it typically won't include is a clear explanation of why your account was banned. In most cases, the message is vague (just like Instagram's support article about disabled Instagram accounts), simply stating that your account doesn't follow Instagram's Community Guidelines or Terms of Use upon review. So, whether your account has already been suspended and you want to figure out why, or you're just trying to play it safe and avoid getting banned in the first place, here are four things that can get you banned on Instagram.

Instagram's Community Guidelines are a set of rules that clearly outline what is and isn't allowed on the platform. They primarily focus on seven key areas, but most of the rules revolve around the content you share. You must have the rights to post any content you share on your account. A good rule of thumb is to always play it safe and credit the original creator when sharing content that isn't yours. If you want to repost someone else's work but aren't sure if you have permission to do so, it's best to either reach out and ask first or simply avoid sharing it altogether.

Instagram also has strict rules surrounding nudity. While you won't get in trouble if you share nudity in photos of paintings and sculptures, or certain medical-related images like post-mastectomy scarring, other forms of nudity are strictly prohibited. Additionally, Instagram doesn't permit posting images or videos containing graphic violence. This includes (but isn't limited to) depictions of serious injuries, violent attacks, displays of violence against other people or animals and depictions of sexual assault. However, Instagram may allow exceptions for content intended to raise awareness or educate. 

Similarly, while the platform doesn't allow content that glorifies self-injury or eating disorders, posts focused on raising awareness about these issues are typically permitted. Violating these guidelines often results in content removal, but repeated offenses could lead to permanent account suspension. It's also a good idea to avoid using hashtags associated with inappropriate content. While they won't necessarily get your account banned, they can significantly hurt your account's visibility, and even lead to a shadowban.

Have you ever come across an Instagram account with hundreds of thousands of followers, yet their posts barely break a hundred likes and comments? On the rare occasions they do, the comments are incredibly generic, repetitive, or completely irrelevant to the post. This is exactly the kind of behavior Instagram targets under its "Spam" section in the Community Guidelines. The platform doesn't allow any sort of spam, including the use of third-party apps or websites to automate actions like liking posts, commenting, and following/unfollowing users. 

It's best to stay away from "engagement groups" as well, which essentially refers to a group chat where all members agree to like, comment and share each other's posts to boost engagement. While this isn't as extreme as using bots, Instagram may still see it as an attempt to manipulate engagement artificially. Unfortunately, despite all of this, Instagram is crawling with bots, which is a major reason why many avoid using Instagram as a whole. If you've ever bought Instagram followers, likes, or comments, or are considering it, just know that Instagram can tell. What seems like a quick way to gain clout might actually do more harm than good!

Despite Instagram's strict stance on nudity and graphic content, there's still plenty of content on the platform targeted at older audiences that children shouldn't have access to. This is why, according to Instagram's Terms of Use, you must be at least 13 years old (or the minimum legal age in your country) to create an account. While the 13+ rule applies to most regions, some countries, including South Korea, Spain, and Canada, require users to be at least 14 due to local laws.

To enforce this, Instagram asks users for their birthday information when creating an account. If a child enters a birthdate that proves they're underage, they won't be allowed to complete the account set up. As you might expect, children nowadays are extremely sneaky, and bypassing age restrictions isn't much of a challenge for them. If they manage to create an account despite being underage, other users may report them. Eventually, Instagram will review their account. If found to be underage, their account will be banned, and they'll receive a message stating, "You're Not Old Enough to Use Instagram."

If Instagram made a mistake and a user meets the age requirement, they can appeal the decision by submitting a valid ID that includes their full name and clearly indicates their age. Note that accounts representing an underage public figure, like a young actor, won't be disabled as long as their bio clearly states that the account is managed by a parent or manager. If Instagram requests proof of this and none is provided, the account will also be deleted.

This one goes without saying. Instagram is a family-friendly platform, and just as it doesn't allow inappropriate content, hate speech, bullying, and abuse are strictly off-limits. According to Instagram's Community Guidelines, the platform prohibits attacks based on race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or disease. In a blog post, Instagram mentioned that they actively take action against hate speech and continuously work on improving their detection tools.

This policy isn't limited to public posts and comments. Violating Instagram's hate speech guidelines in Direct Messages (DMs) can also lead to consequences. In 2021, Instagram rolled out new tools to filter abusive DMs. If a user sends a message that breaks these rules, they may be temporarily restricted from sending more messages. For instance, you may remember the viral prank where users were tricked into sending an image of a shirtless man via Instagram DMs. As soon as they did, they were blocked from messaging for three days and saw a notification saying, "Something you sent in the chat went against our Community Guidelines" instead of the text box.If someone repeatedly sends or posts violating content, Instagram may take further action, including disabling their account.