Instagram began cracking down on fake accounts utilizing the social media platform on Monday.
The company posted an announcement about the changes to their corporate blog, stating that by utilizing "machine learning" technology to curb the use of third-party apps that provide fake likes, comments and followers to users of the social media site.
"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," the blog post read.
Instagram has become a centerpiece for numerous celebrities and social media influencers to promote their individual brands. Frequently that includes sponsored posts where the celebrity or influencer will promote a product that they've been paid to endorse.
It's also common for those same social media stars to buy followers or boost the number of likes or comments on a post with a third-party app. Last year, Instagram shut down one of the most popular services, Instagress, though several sites still offer the same features at a similar price point.
Instagram said that its machine-learning technology will "help identify accounts that use these services and remove the inauthentic activity." The social media service also states that third-party apps violate the company's community guidelines and terms of use.
"This type of behavior is bad for the community," the company's blog post said.
The crackdown on fake accounts, comments and likes comes when Instagram's parent company, Facebook, has been criticized for data breaches and the spread of inauthentic content. Facebook purchased Instagram for $1 billion in 2012.
While there is no way to estimate how many followers or interactions an Instagram follower could lose, a similar Twitter purge over the summer saw celebrities like Katy Perry and Justin Bieber lose millions of followers as did former-U.S. President Barack Obama.
Even if users have never purchased followers, it is possible that they have signed up for some third-party app without realizing it. If that is the case, Instagram will notify the user via an in-app message. Users will then be asked if they wish to change their password.
"These new measures will be ongoing, and accounts that continue to use third-party apps to grow their audience may see their Instagram experience impacted. ... Today's update is just another step in keeping Instagram a vibrant community where people connect and share in authentic ways. We'll have more updates in the coming weeks on additional measures we're taking to tackle inauthentic activity on Instagram," the company said.
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