Instagram: Instagram may ask these users to show ID proof – Times of India

Facebook-owned photo sharing app Instagram has announced that it is going to start asking suspicious accounts to prove their identity. In a blog post, the company said, “Starting today, we will begin asking people to confirm who’s behind an account when we see a pattern of potential inauthentic behaviour.”
Instagram explains that the aim behind this move is to get rid of the bots and misleading users on its platform as by asking dubious accounts for an ID proof, it will be able to keep a check on how certain accounts are trying to mislead their followers and attempt to make them accountable.
As per the company, this new screening process will affect only a small number of users, even though it did not shed any light on the initial figure or regions where it may start. Instagram also says that there are a few red flags that will make these accounts come under the scanner. These are:
1. When the majority of someone’s followers are in a different country to their location.
2. Signs of automation such as bot accounts.
3. Signs of potential inauthentic activity
The app may ask its users to present different kinds of IDs. “We can ask you to provide an ID for things like your identity, age or account information. In most cases, you will have to give us your full name and a photo or copy of something that includes your full name and it shows information about your age. For this you have many more options. These options include photo IDs issued by the government, IDs of non-governmental institutions. In some cases, you may also be asked to take a selfie to confirm that the photo has been given to you,” said the company.
Once the account holder has confirmed their identity, they will be able to use their account as usual, however, Instagram may still find reason to investigate further.
The IDs that will be shared with the app will be “stored securely” and then removed from their database within 30 days — the time period in which the review should be completed. Users may lose access to their accounts even for some time during the review process. To those who share their IDs, Instagram assures that the details will not be shared on the person’s profile.
While on the other hand, those users who choose not to provide ID proofs may face reduced distribution for their content and may even land up at disabled account stage. “In some cases, if you do not pass our review, you will be told in the Instagram app that we can close your account and delete your account data, “ said Instagram in its FAQ section.