Everybody’s familiar with the situation: You meet somebody, think they’re awesome, so you go to find them on Instagram. Your dreams are crushed as you realize they’ve got a private Instagram. If you sent them a follow request, the worst could happen. They might KNOW you think they’re awesome. But wait, you think, perhaps I could use some kind of private Instagram viewer.
After all, how else will I find out if they’re single and ready to mingle?
Alas, the situation isn’t so simple. There are more questions to consider. Can you use a private Instagram viewer? And, perhaps more importantly, should you?
Read on to find out how to view a private Instagram…and find out what we think about using a private Instagram viewer!
Should You Use A Private Instagram Viewer?
Social media is a double-edged sword for many people. On one hand, it allows us to share positive aspects of our lives with our friends and family. On the other, people who misuse it can lead to overall unhappiness and unhealthy habits. In the worst cases, some people even find themselves in uncomfortable and even dangerous situations.
People who have private Instagrams probably have a good reason for keeping them private. Maybe they’re simply uncomfortable with having their life on display. In dire situations, they might even be protecting themselves from a dangerous person in their past.
Using a private Instagram viewer to view somebody’s profile could very well mean you’re crossing a boundary. Before you turn to one, consider that it’s probably just easier to get to know whose profile you want to look at. And if you don’t want to get to know them – they probably aren’t that important.
The Respectability Of Social Media
In the information age, it can be easy to forget that we aren’t entitled to other people’s lives. The truth is, nobody owes you access to their private Instagram account. It’s an Instagram user’s individual choice who’s allowed to see their content.
Especially if that content is deeply personal, like the things on many private Instagrams are. Friendship has to be earned, and so does private Instagram access. Instagram can make you feel much closer to people you’re not actually close to.
If somebody has a private Instagram, it’s usually best to allow your relationship to develop naturally over time until you’re comfortable enough to send a follow request.
That being said, here are a few ways to view private Instagrams….
Method 1: Send Them A Follow Request
By far the easiest way to follow a private Instagram is to simply send them a follow request. You’d be surprised how many people don’t really check who requests to follow them.
Especially if it’s a person you’ve met in real life, they’re actually pretty likely to accept your request. As somebody who has a private profile at the time of this article, I’m actually pretty open to who follows me! If I remember your name, I’ll most likely accept the request.
Follow requesting a stranger is a bit trickier. But it’s worth a shot. After all, you’ll never know if you never try.
Method 2: Ask A Mutual Contact To Show You Their Profile
So you REALLY need to know if somebody has a girlfriend. I won’t judge you for affairs of the heart. If the thought of sending a follow request makes you want to melt from embarrassment, you could always involve a third party that already follows the person.
Although it’s probably easier just to follow request the person, asking a friend to help you out might save you some embarrassment. The drawback is that you only get access the one time.
If you don’t know anybody that follows them, you’re left with Option 3…
Method 3: Use A Private Instagram Viewer
You could be desperate. You could be a spy. But if you don’t have the time to learn to code and get a job at Instagram to look at a single profile, using a private Instagram viewer is probably easier.
There are certain apps and web applications that promise you they can load any Instagram profile – even private ones, even when you don’t have an account. That sounds too good to be true at the best, and a little bit scary at the worst.
And, like all miracle technologies, they come with their own set of troubles.
Does Using A Private Instagram Viewer Really Work?
So, you’re desperate enough to use a private Instagram viewer. But once you do, will it work? The short answer is…kind of? I took the liberty of testing a few private Instagram viewers myself by trying to gain access to my own private Instagram profile. Here’s what I’ve learned:
While most of these services can, at least, load the images I’ve uploaded onto my account, they almost always ask for some kind of personal information – e-mail, phone number – to gain any kind of access to the written content.
Once I got in, they could find my account. But every single one of them blurred the photos. They requested “verification”, which usually led to an external link of some kind. Complete a survey, play a game, etc. I didn’t click on any of the links, but you can imagine they weren’t taking me to a legitimate, well-trusted site.
In short, in order to view a private Instagram, they wanted me to provide personal information and proceed to unrecognized sites. It’s your call whether you’re up for that or not.
Using A Private Instagram Viewer Could Give You A Computer Virus
Another drawback to using a private Instagram viewer is that almost all of them are hosted web applications. It’s a lot easier to get a virus on your computer than on your phone, and using applications from unrecognized publishers can very well open you up to that.
I won’t recommend any of the ones I tested, since they all asked me to venture somewhere potentially unsafe. In the app store, things weren’t any better. I was wholly unsuccessful in finding a private Instagram viewer.
Maybe private Instagram viewers are just 2019’s version of the Nigerian prince who wants to give you loads of money. Maybe they’re legit. But if I were you, I wouldn’t test it until we know better.
Maybe It’s Best To Leave It Be
It’s frustrating to be locked out of someone’s private Instagram. But perhaps as the lines of privacy become more and more blurred by social media, it’s getting more important to protect it.
While you could use a private Instagram viewer to try and view someone’s profile, it’s much easier to simply follow request them, or get a mutual friend to show you their Instagram profile. You should also remember that nobody owes you information about their life. If you want it, it’s easier to earn it through traditional friendship as you get to know each other.
Not only that, you’ll feel better about yourself for not crossing a boundary of privacy. Nobody wants to say “I stalked you on Instagram” in their wedding vows.
Private Instagrams are private for a reason. It’s best to let them stay that way.