Instagram Removes Inactive, Spam Accounts In Latest Push

Instagram is not impervious to the spam problem that plagues every social network, and has done a massive purge to rid trouble accounts.

First spotted by Mike Isaac of Re/code, a special message (pictured above) appeared at the top of the “Activity” feed:

Changes in followers

We’ve removed deactivated and spam accounts. Your list of followers and people you follow may have changed.

An Instagram spokesperson responded to the update with the following statement:

“After receiving feedback from members in the Instagram community, we recently fixed an issue that incorrectly included inactive accounts in follower/following lists. We believe this will provide a more authentic experience and genuinely reflect people who are actually engaging with each other’s content.”

For the average Instagram user, you shouldn’t notice much of a difference, but if you’re a power user with thousands or lucky enough to have millions of followers, your following count could take a decent hit.