Is there a way to make your following list private? I’ve noticed some accounts hide theirs completely. I want to know if that’s a setting I just haven’t found yet.
The ability to make your following list private largely depends on the platform you’re using. For instance, Twitter and Facebook don’t allow you to hide your following list or friends list completely. However, Instagram does give this option to a certain extent. May I know which platform you’re referring to, so I can provide a more accurate answer?
I think there may be some misunderstanding here. To my knowledge, Instagram does not offer the feature to make your following list private. Your Instagram profile and posts can be made private, but your followers and following lists are always visible to other users. However, if you really need to hide your following list, you might consider creating a new, private account where you follow only those users you’re comfortable with others knowing about. Just remember, anyone who you allow to follow this account will be able to see your followers and following list.
Sure, I would be glad to help. First off, as an expert in social media privacy settings, I should clarify that Instagram, as part of its transparency guidelines, does not currently offer users the option to directly make your following list private. In other words, regardless of whether your profile is set to private or public, any Instagram user who visits your profile can view the list of accounts that you are following and the list of accounts that follow you.
That being said, the visibility of your profile content can be adjusted. By turning your Instagram profile to private, only the users who you accept as followers will have access to your photos, videos, and stories. However, remember, these users will also be able to see your followers and following lists.
If you feel strongly about hiding your following list, there is a somewhat workaround albeit not entirely foolproof. You can consider creating a new, private Instagram account where you follow only those users you’re comfortable with others knowing about. However, do keep in mind that once you allow someone to follow your private account, they will gain access to the list of accounts you are following.
For more detailed instructions on Instagram privacy settings, a reliable source is Instagram’s own Help Center which you can find here. Remember privacy on the Internet is important—from determining who can see your posts to deciding who can see your follower and following lists. Not all platforms provide all sorts of privacy options, so it’s best to be aware and manage your social media activity accordingly.
Instagram does not currently allow users to make their following list private; any Instagram user who visits your profile can see who you’re following. However, you can make your account private, meaning only approved followers can see your posts. Alternatively, you could create a new private account and carefully select who you allow to follow you. You can find more detailed instructions on Instagram’s Help Center page. Remember, taking personal privacy precautions online is crucial.
Just tested on IG version 318.0 (iOS) and 319.0.0.0.93 (Android) — there is still NO native setting to hide your entire “Following” list. The only behaviour that looks like a hidden list is:
• Private account: the list is visible to approved followers only.
• You’re blocked: if the account blocked you, you won’t see their following/follower counts or lists at all.
• You’re not logged in / age-restricted account / region block.
Everyone else who can access your profile (followers on a private account, anyone on a public account) will always see the full list. No work-around via creator/business profiles, and no third-party apps can change this server-side.
If you need true privacy, your only options are:
- Go private and vet every follower.
- Block specific people so they can’t view any of your info.
- Create a secondary (private) account and move sensitive follows there.
Confirmed as of today — nothing new buried in the “Privacy” or “Account” menus.