Wow, fuck Instagram

[cashew]

So apparently Instagram no longer allows alias or anonymity on their accounts. What a load of bull. The only reason I was even using it is because a friend insisted that I use it so she could send me silly Instagram posts.

This is why I hate modern social media.

Edit:

Actually, now that I think about it, I think I've been through this mess with Insta when trying to follow tanithryudo and Insta banned my account. Seriously, what a fucking bullshit platform.

Edit2:

Went back and check and nope, that was Facebook, who owns Instagram, so I'm not even surprised at the same bullshit practice. Anyway, point is, everything owned by Meta is horrible and I wish there was a better alternative.

Comments

[tanithryudo]

Eh? I don't have an instagram account. You sure it was me?

[cashew]

Was facebook, not instagram. :p

[tanithryudo]

I mean, I don't think there are a lot of social media apps nowadays that don't force you to use some kind of real life ID/validation to set up an account.

At least most of the Chinese apps I've set up since getting into the CN fandom are like that.

I have a secondary facebook account set up using an anonymous hotmail email, but only because it was created like years ago when requirements weren't that strict.

[cashew]

Well, Dreamwidth, for one, is still allowing anonymous signups/accounts. Medium also only required an email for their free account. (I'm pretty sure their pay stuff will require real ID at least on the payment side of things.) But yeah, I think most popular social media sites require a real phone number these days for no good reason. Real ID is stupid and fails to actually make a difference when it comes to stopping online bullying and only threatens the at risk groups. Moderators and limited access (like privacy locks, trial period memberships, etc.) are the only things that have keep the bullying at bay, yet big social media sites aren't willing to moderate (because it's expensive) or set up limited access (because investors).

Re: Chinese apps - Actually, I've managed to set up a Weibo and Bilibili account with google voice number. Those are probably the two biggest social media sites in China and they don't seem have any issue with overseas numbers so long as they can receive SMS confirmation numbers. VOIP numbers are fine. But major social media sites based in the US seem to ban VOIP like they're banks or something. (I also have bitterness towards banks banning VOIP numbers, thus making it impossible for me to migrate my number to Google Voice. But also the banks' refusal to move onto digital token 2FA is annoying AF.)

[tanithryudo]

Huh, was not aware Google Voice is a thing. Now I know. Though I already have all my accounts set up already...

[cashew]

Now you know for the future and if for whatever reason the algorithm takes your account down, you've got a back up plan. Hopefully.

[sailorstarsun]

I was confused by this at first, because Insta doesn't have my real name on it anywhere, and it's not linked to my (now lying dead and unused) Facebook account at all. But if you mean no anonymity because of phone numbers, that is true. I did need to give my number to get my account, but I guess I never considered giving my phone number as part of giving up anonymity (though I guess it does mean they can track me down if they want to for some reason).
It's a fake-ass name on my account, though, as well as a fake-ass birthday, which is all I really ask for.

[cashew]

Hm, yeah, on re-reading, I wasn't very clear.

What happened recently is that a blank Insta account I was using to receive some Insta link from a RL friend (I try to keep my RL and online live separate so have separate accounts for basically everything) got banned for "rules violation", which confused me since I don't use the account for anything other than clicking Insta links sent to me. I didn't upload or comment with the account, I only used it to receive Insta links to click. According Insta, I was banned because I didn't "use a real name", which violates the community rules. In the process of submitting an appeal, the automated system demanded Real ID, including phone number.

So no, it's not just a phone number; Insta refuse to let me use the account to receive DMs from a RL friend and slapped me with "rules violation". Why? I have no idea, because until I provide my "real identity", the system refuses to let me in.

Hopefully that clarified things a bit.

Re: phone number - given that social media accounts are constantly compromising phone numbers (Facebook being a pretty egregious one) and I need to keep my real phone service clean so that I can continue to use online banking overseas, I've been using Google Voice numbers for most of my recreation/loyalty program accounts. If a freaking grocery store can accept a Google Voice number as my primary contact, Insta sure as well should accept my Google Voice number. But no, Insta insists that it's not good enough (much like how American banks refuse to accept VOIP numbers). So at this point, not being physically in the States and thus can't open a burner number just to get fucking Insta up and running, I'm a bit pissed at the platform.