Why Am I Following Random Accounts On Instagram? Two Reasons And How To Fix It

As great and innovative Instagram is, it’s not without its issues. For every pro that Instagram has to offer, there are cons that users must live with – like the app’s vulnerability to scammers, hackers, and bots.

Did you notice that you’re following someone you’ve never seen before in your life.

If you’re wondering, “Why am I following random accounts on Instagram?” – in this article, I’ll tell you why it happens and what you can do.

Why Am I Following Random Accounts On Instagram?

Sometimes, you may notice random people in your following list on Instagram. You probably don’t remember pressing the follow button, much less have any idea about these profiles.

While seeing random accounts on Instagram may be considered a serious security issue, it’s actually not that difficult to solve. Here are the most common reasons why this is happening:

1. Your account has been compromised by third-party apps.
2. Someone hacked into your account and is manually following people.

How To Fix Instagram Following Random Accounts

Again, regardless of the reason, fixing the issue is quite easy. Just follow these methods below.

Check Your Instagram Account For Linked Apps (Video)

For most people, the reason why their accounts are following random people on Instagram is because of third-party apps, or apps that are linked to your Instagram account.

When you link a third-party app to your Instagram account, you’re essentially giving the app permission to access your account. Sometimes, this doesn’t happen out of your own volition.

You may have downloaded something or pressed on a suspicious web link, accidentally giving permission to another app or service to access your account.

Some apps, especially suspicious ones, may automatically follow random accounts on Instagram and cause other problems.

Not only is this annoying to you as a profile owner, but it can also get you flagged as a spam account by Instagram’s security system.

If you voluntarily installed and linked this app, be warned.

That said, if you don’t remember linking this app, chances are it’s a spam app or even malware. In any case, revoking its access to your account should be easy.

Take note that you cannot do this in the official Instagram app. You can only do this fix using your mobile or desktop browser.

Change Your Instagram Password To Prevent Unauthorized Access (Video)

If there are no suspicious apps or websites linked to your account, then someone else likely has access to your account. Maybe your account has fallen victim to hackers, or maybe you logged in to another person’s device and forgot to log out. 

Regardless, you need to change your password to revoke their access.

1. Open your Instagram app and log in.
2. Navigate to your profile page.

3. Tap the hamburger button. From there, go to Settings and privacy.

4. You’ll see an option called “Accounts Centre.” Tap it.

5. Under Account settings, click the third option, which is “Password and security.”

6. Then tap “Change password” and select your account.

7. You have to type your current password to be able to nominate a new one.

For better security, pick a password that you haven’t used on your other accounts. Don’t choose a common password, like your favorite animal, birthdate, or name. The longer and more complex your password is, the more secure your account becomes.

Security Tip For More Protection: Two-factor Authentication (Video)

Unauthorized access to your account, whether it’s because of a bot, an app, or another person, is a serious matter. As our online and real-life worlds are becoming more enmeshed with the advancement of technology, it becomes more and more of a risk that a user could lose control over their Instagram account.

If you want to be serious about protecting your online Instagram presence, you should turn on two-factor authentication on Instagram.

1. Log into the Instagram app and go to your profile.

2. Tap the hamburger icon and click “Settings and privacy.”

3. A new menu will come up. Click “Accounts Centre.”

4. Under the account settings tap “Password and security”.

5. From here, tap on “Two-factor authentication” and tap on your account.

6. Next, choose a security method. You can select only one.

7. If you haven’t linked your phone number yet to your account, the app will require you to do so.
8. Instagram will then send a security code to your phone. 
9. After this, simply type in the code and tap on the next button.

Keep in mind that Instagram will provide you with Back-Up Codes if you lose access to your phone. Save these codes for the future.

Check our video to see the steps in action:

When Instagram Keeps Following Random Accounts

In short, there are three methods you can try to solve this problem:

• Revoke access from third-party apps and websites.
• Change your password.
• Enable two-factor authentication.

With these three methods, your problem should be fixed. Never again will you think, “Why am I following random accounts on Instagram?” or “Who were those people I didn’t know?”

However, if these methods still don’t work, the situation may be more serious than a normal user can handle. Don’t hesitate to go to the Instagram Help Center and contact their representatives.

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