Instagram to add, improve security features

Instagram just announced two new features and an improved 2-factor authentication for their social media platform.

The first one is the “About This Account” feature which caters to profiles that reach a large audience, may it be a public figure, company, or celebrity. Anyone will be able to check if that profile is legitimate by pressing on the profile icon, tap in the menu, and select “About This Account”. This will let users know the date the account joined Instagram, the country where it is located, accounts with shared followers, any username changes in the last year, and any ads the account is currently running.

For more security, Instagram will be adding a new way for accounts that reach large audiences to request verification through a form within the app. In order for the profile to be verified, they must do the following first:

• Comply with Instagram’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines
• Go to Profile
• Tap the Menu icon located at the top right corner
• Select “Settings” located at the bottom right of the menu
• Select “Request Verification”
• Fill out the necessary details (account username, full name, and a copy of their legal or business identification). Rest assured that these info will not be shared publicly.
• Wait for Instagram to review your request.

Lastly, the company aims to improve its Two-factor Authentication by implementing support for third-party authenticator apps. Instagram will automatically detect the app and send a code for the user’s retrieval to enable the authentication system.

The “About This Account” feature will start to roll out in the following weeks. The third-party authenticator support, on the other hand, is now rolling out as we speak.

Source: Instagram Newsroom