Instagram

Instagram

Instagram logo with a gradient background of purple, pink, orange, and yellow.

Why Use Instagram?
Instagram is a popular way to share photos, videos, and stories with your friends or followers. Teens in Ghana and around the world use it to stay in touch, be creative, and even grow an audience.

Minimum Age: 13+

A local content creator talks about how they use Instagram, why they like it, and how they stay safe online.

Influencer Video

Instagram Checklist:

  • A private account keeps your photos, stories, and followers list visible only to people you approve. This helps protect you from strangers, online predators, or anyone who may try to contact you inappropriately.

  • Only accept requests from people you know in real life. Not everyone who follows you has good intentions. Some may use fake accounts to collect your photos or send you risky messages.

  • Have you chosen who can see your location? Anyone can try to message you unless you set limits. This helps stop unwanted DMs or pressure to chat on other apps.

  • Controlling who can comment helps stop cyberbullying, creepy replies, or negative messages. You can also block certain words.

  • Things like your school, phone number, or where you live can be used by someone trying to trick or contact you.

  • Knowing how to protect yourself means you're ready if anything feels wrong.

  • If your friends tag you or share your location, strangers might see where you are, who you're with, or where you go to school.

  • Stay informed about best practices for online safety. Regularly review Instagram’s safety resources and updates to ensure you're using the platform responsibly!

Instagram is for users 13 and up, but it’s important that your account is yours, not shared with a friend, parent, or sibling.

To create an account, you’ll need:

  1. Email address or phone number

  2. Username

  3. A strong password

  4. Your real date of birth

Use your own password and keep it private. This helps protect your account from phishing, data breaches, or someone using your account without your permission.

Setting up your Instagram Account

Why does using my real age matter?

Instagram gives teens extra safety tools like blocking messages from adults you don’t follow. If you use the wrong age, those protections might not turn on—and you’ll be more exposed to online predators, grooming, or inappropriate content.

Illustration of a person holding a sign that says 'Privacy Settings'. The person is wearing a yellow top, patterned green pants, and yellow shoes, with dark hair tied in a bun. The person is waving with one hand and holding the sign with the other.

Instagram gives teens extra safety tools like blocking messages from adults you don’t follow. If you use the wrong age, those protections might not turn on and you’ll be more exposed to online predators, grooming, or inappropriate content.

Side-by-side comparison of Instagram account privacy settings screens, showing the toggle switch for private account, with the left toggle off and the right toggle on.

Find your account privacy by going to your profile, finding the three lines at the top right of your screen and tapping in them, then scrolling to Account privacy. Move the toggle to the right so that your account becomes private.

Setting your account to private means only people you approve can follow you and see your posts or stories.

A private account protects you from strangers seeing your photos or messaging you. It also helps reduce cyberbullying and limits your exposure to online predators.

You can also choose how others interact with you. Check out these settings:

  • Choose who can message you and who can reply to your stories.

    We recommend turning off message requests so that only your followers can message you. You can also choose what you see in messages. We recommend turning on nudity protection so AI can detect and blur naked images before you see them.

    Why? Some strangers use DMs to start conversations that feel uncomfortable. Limiting this reduces your risk of grooming, sextortion, or other types of CSEA. Turning on Nudity protection also limits your exposure to unwanted naked photos!

  • Control who can tag or mention you in posts, comments, or stories.

    We recommend only allowing tags and mentions from people you follow or not allowing them.

    Why? Tags and mentions can be used to draw attention to your profile, even by people you don’t know. This can open the door to cyberbullying, harassment, or unwanted attention from online predators.

  • Decide who can comment on your posts and filter out harmful messages.

    We recommend only allowing comments from followers you follow back. You can also choose to block specific people from commenting on your content.

    Why? Comments are one of the most common places teens experience cyberbullying, name-calling, or inappropriate content. You have the right to protect your space.

  • Choose whether people can share your stories or posts with others.

    We recommend turning these off.

    Why? Even if your account is private, others can still share your stories or posts unless you turn this off. That means your content could reach people you didn’t choose to share it with.

Dealing with Unwanted Messages

Stylized illustration of a person wearing a yellow hoodie, black shorts, orange and white knee-high socks, and large yellow shoes, giving two thumbs up.

Not every message you get is safe or kind and you don’t have to put up with messages that make you feel uncomfortable, pressured, or disrespected.

Some teens in Ghana have reported receiving messages asking for nude images, romantic attention from adults, or even threats after ignoring someone. These are all serious situations and you have tools to protect yourself.

Blocking and reporting are ways to stop someone from contacting you or interacting with your account and to let Instagram know when someone is breaking the rules.

Blocking stops the person from messaging you, seeing your posts or stories, tagging or mentioning you, and even finding your account.

Reporting sends a complaint to Instagram so they can review the person’s behaviour or content. Reporting helps remove dangerous content and warn or ban the person if needed.

Why should you Report or Block?

If someone sends you a DM (direct message) that makes you uncomfortable:

  1. Open the message.

  2. Tap and hold the specific message.

  3. Tap “Report” and choose the reason (e.g. bullying, nudity, threats).

  4. Follow the prompts to complete the report.

How to Report a Message on Instagram

If you come across a post, story, or reel that is harmful or inappropriate:

  1. Tap the three dots (…) at the top right of the post or story.

  2. Tap “Report”.

  3. Choose the reason and follow the steps.

How to Report a Post or Story

To report someone’s entire account:

  1. Visit the person’s profile.

  2. Tap the three dots (…) in the top right.

  3. Tap “Report”, then choose the reason (harassment, fake account, etc.).

  4. Instagram will review the user’s behaviour and may take action.

How to Report a User

Blocking someone means they can no longer:

  • Send you messages

  • See your posts or stories

  • Tag or mention you

  • Find your account at all

To block someone:

  1. Go to their profile

  2. Tap the three dots (…)

  3. Select “Block”

They won’t be notified that you blocked them.

How to Block Someone on Instagram

What Happens After You Block or Report

Reports are reviewed by Instagram’s moderation team. If they find that the user broke community rules, they may delete content, warn the user, or ban the account.

Blocking happens immediately and does not require Instagram’s approval. The person you block will lose all access to your content and can’t interact with you.

Keep your conversations on Instagram

Instagram has safety tools like privacy settings, blocking, and reporting to help protect you.

That’s why it’s safer to keep your chats with new friends on the app and not move the conversation to WhatsApp, SMS, or other platforms. These tools may not be available elsewhere, and your safety could be harder to manage.

Never share your phone number, email, or other contact details with people you don’t know even if they seem friendly.

Read our other App Guides

Some things are more SERIOUS.

If you or a young person you know is in danger…