With the latest version of Instagram, you can immediately see when your friends were last online. The function is automatically enabled for everyone, but turning it off is done in no time.
Turn off Instagram activity status: this is how you do it
If you open the Instagram message window, you will immediately see when all your contacts were last online. Instagram has quietly added activity status to the app and activated it automatically for everyone. So you immediately see which contacts have used the app recently, and vice versa, they also see that about you.
The status is automatically shown to everyone you follow or have sent a message. It is therefore not a requirement that the person follows you back. With that, Instagram makes it very easy for potential stalkers and other obsessive people to see if you are active. Especially the fact that this option is automatically enabled, will not be well received by all users.
Fortunately, you can also switch it off again relatively easily. To do this, follow the steps below. Note: if you turn off your own activity status, you will not be able to see the status of others.
- On the start screen of Instagram, press the icon at the bottom right to open your profile;
- Then press the gear to open the options;
- Scroll down quite a bit. Under the heading ‘settings’ you will also find an option for ‘View activity status’. You turn this off.
Instagram is following in the footsteps of WhatsApp, which has been showing the latest activity of your contacts for quite some time. You can also turn off this last seen status there. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that Instagram activates the option unannounced for all its users. Both popular apps have been part of Facebook for a number of years.
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