Instagram has announced that it will start removing inauthentic likes, follows and comments from accounts that use third-party apps to boost their popularity. The company said that it will use machine learning tools to help identify accounts that use these services and remove the inauthentic activity.
Instagram says that third-party apps that generate inauthentic likes, follows and comments violate its Community Guidelines and Terms of Use. Accounts that are found using these services will receive an in-app message alerting them that it has removed the inauthentic likes, follows and comments given by their account to others.
Furthermore, the company will also ask them to change their password. People who use these types of apps share their username and password, and their accounts are sometimes used by third-party apps for inauthentic likes, follows and comments. Accounts that continue to use third-party apps to grow their audience may see their Instagram experience impacted.