Like other social media platforms, Instagram has some privacy policies and terms of use that every user must adhere to. When a user breaks these rules, Instagram takes action by limiting the activities they can perform on the platform.
Depending on the extent of the user’s offense, Instagram may prevent them from liking posts, messaging, commenting, following, etc. When such users want to do any of these things, they often get a message saying, “we restrict certain activity to protect our community.”
If you want to know about the “we restrict certain activity to protect our community” error message, keep this reading this article.
We Restrict Certain Activity to Protect Our Community – Why You Get It on Instagram
You get the “we restrict certain activity to protect our community” error message because Instagram has blocked you. Instagram restricts your activities on their platform whenever its AI concludes that you could be a bot.
Below are more reasons why Instagram may be showing you the “we restrict certain activity to protect our community” message.
- Instagram has detected a lot of unusual activities on your account
- You may have exceeded the daily limit set for the possible actions on Instagram
- Your account may be too new for the numerous actions you have begun to perform on the platform
- You may have been misusing automation tools and bot software
- Many Instagram users have reported your account as a spam account
- You may have integrated unapproved third-party software with your Instagram account
We Restrict Certain Activity to Protect Our Community – Tips to Fix This
Below are some things you can do to fix the “we restrict certain activity to protect our community” error.
1# Give yourself a break
One of the best ways to fix the “we restrict certain activity to protect our community” error is to stay off Instagram for a while. Try staying away from the platform for about 3-4 days.
Don’t attempt to send messages, react to posts, or perform any activity on the app during this period.
2# Clear the cache of your Instagram app
Sometimes, you can fix the error message by clearing your Instagram cache memory.
Here are the steps you can follow to clear your Instagram cache memory.
- STEP 1: Open “Settings” on your phone
- STEP 2: Scroll to the “Storage” section and tap on it
- STEP 3: In the “Storage” section, tap on “Apps storage“
- STEP 4: Find “Instagram” in the list of apps and click on it
- STEP 5: Tap on the “Clear cache” option
Following the process will guide you to clear your Instagram’s cache memory.
3# Stop using third-party tools and bot software
You should stop using unapproved third-party software or bots with your Instagram account. Using these services will make Instagram’s AI tag your account as a spam account.
4# Remove any link you have in your Instagram bio
The latest fix that works for many people is to remove any link in their bio. Hence, if you have linked a webpage or website to your Instagram bio, it may be why Instagram’s AI has tagged your account as “Spam.”
5# Delete your Instagram app and reinstall the newest version
If you delete your Instagram app, the previous data you have on there will get cleaned out. Reinstalling a new one will allow you to start afresh.
Deleting and reinstalling may be the simple solution to the problem.
6# Contact the Instagram support team
You can report the issues you are facing to Instagram’s support team by calling or writing them a mail. Another way you can get through them is through the Instagram app.
Open Instagram >> Settings >> Help >> Report a problem.
Signs That You Are Shadowbanned On Instagram
There are two ways to know if you are being shadowbanned on Instagram.
1# Through the hashtag check
When you want to use the hashtag check, you need to post an image with a popular hashtag. Then, once you have made the post, get people who don’t follow you to search for the hashtag.
If none of them sees your post somewhere amidst the results, Instagram has shadow-banned your account.
2# Through a review of your Instagram insights data
If you notice a sudden drop in engagement from users who don’t follow you, then Instagram may have shadowbanned you.
What Happens When You Restrict Someone on Instagram?
If you restrict someone from your page on Instagram;
- They won’t be able to know whenever you are online
- They won’t be able to see if you’ve read their messages
- Their comments on your posts will only be visible to them and not to the public. However, you can see their comment by tapping “See comment” You can tap “Approve” if you want others to be able to see their comment, or you can delete it
- Instagram won’t send you notifications for any future comments the person makes on your post
How to Know If Someone Restricted You on Instagram
Instagram doesn’t offer features for figuring out if someone has restricted you, but you can still find out through regular activities on the platform. Below are some of the ways you can check.
Through comments
If someone restricts you on Instagram, you won’t be able to see the comments you’ve recently made on their posts.
Check their posts through a different account. Your comments won’t appear under their post if the person has restricted you.
Send a direct message
Try sending a direct message to the person you think has restricted you. If the message stays unseen or you don’t get a reply for a long time, they have restricted you.
Check their activity status
When someone has restricted you, you won’t be able to see if they are online or not. You also won’t be able to see when the person was last active.
Check to see if you can view the person’s activity status. If you can’t, it means the person has restricted you.
Try checking with another Instagram account. If you can see their activity status on that account but not on yours, you know that the person has restricted you.
Read also: How Many People Can I Follow and Unfollow on Instagram?
Why Can’t I Repost A Post on Instagram – Possible Causes
If you can’t repost a post, it could be because the person from which you are trying to repost something has their account set to private.
Another reason could be that they have disabled their post-sharing option. Other possible causes are:
- You could be having an unstable internet connection
- Instagram may be having technical glitches
- Your Instagram app may be outdated
What Does Challenge Required Mean on Instagram?
The challenge required error is a security measure that Instagram uses to prevent bots, spam, and automation activities on the platform.
This error will pop up whenever Instagram faces issues with establishing the proper security protocols to operate correctly.
What Does Restrict Mean on Instagram – What Does It Do?
When you restrict someone on Instagram, you limit their access to your profile.
It is an anti-bullying feature that gives users the ability to control people’s access to their posts. Restricting gives you more control over how other accounts interact with your posts.
Conclusion
Instagram has become more sensitive towards the activities of users on its platform. If you exceed the limits of certain activities on the platform, they will enforce a restriction on your account.
This is why people get the “we restrict certain activity to protect our community” error message. We hope you’ve learned a thing or two in this article that can help you prevent this situation.
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I am Ola, a tech writer with a passion for breaking down complex technical concepts into easy-to-understand language. With over five years of experience in the tech industry, I have a wealth of knowledge on a variety of topics, from software development to cybersecurity. My writing style is clear, concise and engaging, making it easy for readers to grasp even the most complex technical concepts. Learn more about tekpip and the team here on our about us page.