Instagram cracking down on fake likes and comments

In the latest move by social media companies to protect themselves against fake users, false or misinformation and fraud, Instagram has announced it is targeting fake likes and comments.

The company says it has developed machine learning tools to identify accounts using third party services and apps to artificially boost their popularity and it has started removing inauthentic likes, follows and comments from accounts.

Instagram says: “Recently, we’ve seen accounts use third-party apps to artificially grow their audience. Every day people come to Instagram to have real experiences, including genuine interactions. It is our responsibility to ensure these experiences aren’t disrupted by inauthentic activity.

“This type of behaviour is bad for the community, and third-party apps that generate inauthentic likes, follows and comments violate our Community Guidelines and Terms of Use.”

Targeting fake likes to restore social media authenticity

Instagram says that accounts it identifies as using such services will receive a message alerting them to the fact that Instagram has removed the likes, follows and comments given by their account to others. It will also ask them to secure their account by changing their password, because accounts are sometimes used by third-party apps for inauthentic activity.

The platform warned that accounts continuing to use third-party apps to grow their audience may see their experience impacted and that more updates will follow.

Twitter is making similar moves to stamp out inauthentic accounts and there are mounting concerns about Facebook’s efforts to prevent misinformation and manipulation.

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