Instagram is now targeting automated apps that people use to leave spammy comments or follow others in order to grow their audience.
The novelty of the time is that Instagram started to remove followers, inauthentic comments that violate its policies from the accounts of people who use such applications. The app is sending a notice to change the password and still restrict the use of these apps. Instagram says that "it may limit access to certain features, for example" for these users.
Through the measure, Instagram also hopes to discourage users from providing another company with their account login details, as this could be hacked or have their account used as spam.
The move is in line with policy enforcement amid threats from foreign disinformation campaigns on Facebook. According to Facebook, which owns Instagram, inauthentic accounts are often at the root of these campaigns, which is why it removed 754 million fake accounts in the last quarter alone.
Instagram has been intercepting fake accounts since 2014, but this is the first time the social network has removed fake likes on posts.
"We've developed machine learning tools to help identify accounts that use [third-party apps to grow followers] and remove inauthentic activity," says Instagram.
In general, users need to provide the username and password to these services, which take over the accounts. As a result, users of spammy apps will be reprimanded by Instagram, which will send an "in-app message alerting them that we have removed inauthentic likes, follows, and comments given by their account to others" and that they need to change their passwords. .
Source: TechCrunch
