Controlling the visibility of follower lists on Instagram, while maintaining a public profile, is a frequently requested feature. Currently, Instagram’s platform design does not offer a direct, built-in function to selectively conceal the follower count or follower list from specific individuals or the general public without setting the account to private. The visibility of one’s follower and following numbers is inherent to the platform’s design for public profiles.
The demand for this functionality stems from varied reasons, including maintaining a degree of privacy, managing perceptions, or discouraging unwanted attention without sacrificing the benefits of a public profile namely, broader content reach and engagement. Historically, users have sought workarounds or third-party applications to achieve a similar effect. However, reliance on unapproved third-party tools carries considerable risk due to potential security vulnerabilities and violations of Instagram’s terms of service.