Finsta: How To Set Up an Anonymous Instagram Account

The majority of people on this planet use social media. That’s not hyperbole — recent analysis shows that more than 4.62 billion people use social media worldwide. With close to eight billion people living on this planet, that number is equal to 58.4 percent of the globe. 

Although it might feel like social media has been around forever, it’s a fairly recent creation. The first social media platformsdidn’t start appearing until 1997. Just a few decades later, most of humanity has an online profile.

Social media is such a regular part of everyday life that it’s easy to forget how risky it is. You’re sharing your name, pictures, videos, and private details about your life with countless strangers around the world. That’s just the information that you willingly give away. There is a whole host of information that can be siphoned off and sold for a profit.

Social media comes in many forms, but one of the most popular platforms is Instagram. It’s important to know how to protect your information on Instagram so you can use this ubiquitous site safely.

What Is Instagram? 

Instagram was first launched in October of 2010 and has skyrocketed in popularity over the years. Originally, Instagram was only available if you had an iPhone. When demand reached a fever pitch, the developers decided to bring the app to Android users as well. 

As of January 2023, Instagram has 1.386 billion active users, making it the fourth most-used social media platform in the world. While Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp have more active users, Instagram has steadily been making up ground.

There are a few reasons why Instagram has grown into a social media powerhouse. 

For starters, it’s very easy to garner exposure on the app. Being able to look at pictures, watch Insta Stories, view Reels, and create hashtags can quickly generate a lot of subscribers — which normal people can parlay into brand deals and six-figure incomes. 

In fact, Instagram is largely responsible for the rise of the “social media influencer.” Celebrities and businesses have seized on this exposure to take their brands to the next level. 

Another benefit of Instagram is that it’s very easy to interact with other accounts. You can easily like, share, and comment on other people’s posts. You even have the ability to browse posts that your friends and followers have liked. 

As if that wasn’t enough to make communication easy, Instagram even includes a private messaging chat feature. The combination of these features allows for extremely convenient communication with other users. 

How To Use Instagram Anonymously 

There is a lot that you can do on Instagram, and you can quickly fill your day by endlessly scrolling. While having an Instagram profile and other social network accounts can be a fun way to stay connected with the people in your life, you should always be careful when you’re online.

You probably know that you should never post any private information such as your Social Security number, phone number, birth date, or home address — but that’s only the beginning of staying safe on Instagram. 

Make Your Account Private

Sharing the details of your life with beloved friends and family is one of the best parts of using Instagram. However, that doesn’t mean that you need to broadcast the same information to billions of strangers around the world. If you have a public account, then that’s exactly what you’re doing.

Making your account private is an easy way to make your profile less visible. Only the followers that you approve will be able to see the information that you share including photos, Instagram stories, Instagram videos, hashtags, and locations.

It’s pretty easy to set your account to private:

1. Open up the Instagram app.
2. Click on your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
3. Tap the three-line icon in the top right to open the “Settings” menu.
4. Tap on the “Privacy” option.
5. Toggle the “Private Account” feature. 

Create a Fake Account

The idea of creating a fake Instagram account is so common that there’s even a word for it. A “finsta” is the name of an account that you use to privately post and interact with others. In most cases, a finsta account will only have a few followers that represent the closest friends and family members.

Creating a finsta will take a little bit of work, but it’s the best way to stay anonymous and protect your identity online:

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Click on your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
3. Tap the three-line icon in the top right to open the “Settings” menu. 
4. Scroll down and select the “Add Account” option.
5. Select “Create New Account” from the pop-up menu. 
6. Enter in a unique username that’s unrelated to your name or personal details. You can always change it later if you can’t come up with something clever on the spot.
7. Use a dummy email and fake phone number for your contact information. Instagram will automatically transfer the information from your real account.
8. Don’t link your new account to any other social media. By doing so, anyone with your Facebook account could find your Instagram account. 
9. You can add a profile pic if you want, but be careful. You don’t want to use a pic from your real Instagram account as a reverse image search could give away your real identity. 

How To Secure Your Finsta 

Now that your finsta is up and rolling, you’ll be able to scroll Instagram anonymously. There is just one more thing that you’ll need to do to keep yourself safe.

Instagram has a feature that suggests similar accounts. That means that people can accidentally stumble on your finsta even if they aren’t aware of it. 

Here is how you can close that loophole: 

1. Open a browser from your desktop or laptop as this feature can’t be disabled on a smartphone.
2. Go to Instagram.com and log in.
3. Click on your profile picture.
4. Select “Edit Profile”.
5. Scroll to around the bottom of the page and uncheck the “Similar Accounts Suggestions” box. 
6. Press the “Submit” button to confirm your choice and keep your finsta hidden.

What Do People Use Burner Instagram Accounts For?

There are a number of reasons why you might want to set up a burner account on Instagram. Since the goal of a finsta is anonymity, you can use this account for any Instagram activity you don’t want associated with your main account. 

Content Creators and Brands

If you are a content creator or run a business account for a brand, you may want to research and track competitor accounts for inspiration and comparison. But you might not want them to know you are following their account. Instead, you can follow them with your burner account so they won’t know you’re tracking their posts. 

You can also use a burner ig account to test out post ideas and marketing strategies before you commit to posting on your main account. This way you can get a sense of how well the post will do before it becomes associated with your name or brand forever. 

The Everyday Instagram User

If you’re just using Instagram for your own personal use, you still might want to create a burner account. Some people use their finsta as a personal spam account, adding a few close friends to their following list and posting whatever they want. Since there is often pressure to look a certain way online, a spam finsta can allow you to be your true self with the friends that mean the most to you. 

You can also use a finsta to follow or look up other people anonymously. Most people don’t want their exes to know they’re checking up on them, so using a fake account to do so allows you to see what they’ve been up to without letting them know it’s you. 

Art, Clothes, Cooking and More

Many people will also create second accounts in order to curate the posts to fit a specific aesthetic or purpose. Artists will often make designated art accounts where they post their work, and they may or may not want that account to be associated with their name. Other types of accounts include resale accounts for clothes or jewelry, cooking/baking, travel, fandom pages, pet accounts, dance, and more. 

You can really create anything with a second Instagram account and you can choose who knows about it. Without having to worry about what your friends think, it’s easier to post whatever your heart wants. And running curated accounts is also a great way to meet a community of users with similar interests, hobbies, or jobs.

Protect Your Identity Online With a Second Number

Setting your Instagram account to private or creating a finsta is a great way to stay anonymous online. However, that's only the first step to truly protecting your identity online.

Using a Burner number online can help keep your personal data safe from malicious hackers or online programs. Entering in your Burner number instead of your real number can keep you one step further away from identity theft. 

Burner offers a free seven-day trial so visit today to create your new number. 

Sources:

Where Did Instagram Influencers Come From? | Vice

Global Social Media Stats | DataReportal

How Many People Use Instagram? | Backlinko

The Evolution of Social Media: How Did It Begin and Where Could It Go Next? | Maryville University

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