How to Get an Instagram Post Taken Down

Seeing a post on Instagram that violates your rights, harasses you, or spreads harmful content can be incredibly frustrating. Fortunately, Instagram has established procedures to remove content that breaks its rules, but navigating them can sometimes feel confusing. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step walkthrough for reporting different types of violations to get a post taken down effectively.

Understanding the “Why” Before the “How”: Instagram’s Community Guidelines

You can’t get a post taken down just because you don’t like it. The content must violate Instagram’s official Community Guidelines. Before you report, it’s helpful to know which rule the post is breaking. While the full document is extensive, most violations fall into a few key categories:

• Intellectual Property Infringement: Using your copyrighted photos, videos, or music without permission, or infringing on your registered trademark.
• Harassment or Bullying: Content that targets private individuals with degrading comments, threats, or unwanted contact.
• Hate Speech: Attacks based on race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics.
• Nudity and Sexual Activity: Most content showing sexual acts, intercourse, or close-ups of genitals is not allowed. There are exceptions for things like protest, art, and post-mastectomy photos.
• Violence and Graphic Content: Posts showing extreme violence, promoting harm, or encouraging self-injury are prohibited.
• Spam: Repetitive comments, fake engagement schemes, or content that is clearly deceptive and promotional.
• Impersonation: Pretending to be you, your friend, a celebrity, or a representative of a brand.

When you report a post, you are telling Instagram’s review team which of these rules you believe has been broken. Being accurate with your report increases the chances of it being reviewed and acted upon quickly.

The Standard Report: Getting a Post Removed from Inside the App

For most common violations like spam, hate speech, or explicit content, the fastest way to get a post taken down is by reporting it directly through the Instagram app. This process sends an alert to Instagram’s content moderation team for review.

Step-by-Step Guide to In-App Reporting:

1. Find the Post: Navigate to the specific photo, video, or Reel you want to report.
2. Access the Menu: Tap the three dots (...) located in the upper-right corner of the post.
3. Select "Report": From the menu that pops up, tap the "Report" option. This will be near the top.
4. Choose a Reason: Instagram will present a list of general reasons for reporting, such as "It's spam," "Nudity or sexual activity," or "Hate speech or symbols." Select the one that best fits the situation.
5. Provide More Detail: After your initial selection, Instagram will often ask you to be more specific. For example, if you chose "I just don't like it," it will suggest options like blocking the user or unfollowing them. If you select a more serious violation like "Sale of illegal or regulated goods," it will ask you to specify what is being sold. Follow these prompts to give the review team as much context as possible.
6. Submit Your Report: Once you’ve made your final selection, your report is sent. You may or may not receive a notification about the outcome.

For clear and obvious violations, a single report is often enough. The system is designed so that the validity of the report matters more than the volume of reports.

Advanced Reporting for Serious Violations

Sometimes, a simple in-app report isn’t enough, especially for complex legal issues like copyright and impersonation. In these cases, you need to use Instagram's more detailed forms, which collect more information and function as official claims.

How to Report Copyright Infringement

If someone has posted your original photo, video, or artwork without your permission, you can file a formal Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown request. This is a legal assertion that you are the rightful owner of the content.

Plainly reporting the post for "intellectual property violation" in the app may not work as effectively, because Instagram needs to confirm you're the actual copyright holder. Using the dedicated form is the official process.

Using the Copyright Report Form:

1. Access the Form: The easiest way to find it is to Google "Instagram Copyright Report Form" or navigate through the Instagram Help Center. This form is a separate webpage and cannot be completed inside the app.
2. Provide Your Contact Information: You will be required to provide your full name and email address. This is a legal notice, so anonymous submissions are not accepted.
3. Identify Your Work: Provide a link to where your original work is published (e.g., your website, portfolio, or even your own Instagram). If it's not online, you’ll need to describe it in detail. This is your proof of ownership.
4. Provide a Link to the Infringing Content: Copy and paste the direct URL of the Instagram post that is using your work illegally.
5. Declare Under Penalty of Perjury: You must check a box confirming that you have a good faith belief that the content is unauthorized and that the information you've provided is accurate. Submitting a false DMCA claim has legal consequences, so only use this form if you are the legitimate copyright owner.

Once submitted, Instagram will review your claim. If it’s valid, they will typically remove the infringing post and notify the user who posted it about the copyright strike.

How to Report Trademark Infringement

Trademark violations are similar to copyright issues but apply specifically to registered brand names, logos, and slogans. This usually happens when someone uses your trademark in a way that is likely to cause confusion about the source or affiliation of goods or services.

For example, if another account is using your logo to sell counterfeit products, you would file a trademark report. The process is similar to a copyright claim:

• Search for the “Instagram Trademark Report Form.”
• Provide your contact information.
• Provide details about your registered trademark, including the registration number and the country where it is registered.
• Explain how the content in question is infringing on your trademark.

How to Report Harassment or Bullying

If you or someone you know is being harassed, Instagram takes these reports very seriously. The standard in-app reporting flow is usually the best approach.

When you select "Bullying or harassment" in the reporting options, Instagram will ask who is being targeted.

• If it's "Me": The report will be prioritized based on direct harm.
• If it's "Someone else": You can still file the report on their behalf.

Beyond reporting, take these additional steps to protect yourself:

• Block the User: This is the most effective immediate action. When you block someone, they can no longer find your profile, posts, or Stories. Instagram also gives you the option to proactively block any new accounts they may create.
• Restrict the User: A less drastic option than blocking. When you restrict someone, their comments on your posts will only be visible to them. You can choose to view the comment and then approve, delete, or ignore it. Their DMs will move to your Message Requests folder, and they won't know when you’re online or if you've read their messages.
• Filter Words: Use the "Hidden Words" feature in your privacy settings to automatically hide comments and message requests that contain offensive words, phrases, or emojis.

How to Report an Impersonation Account

An impersonation account is one that pretends to be you, your business, or someone else. How you report it depends on whether the account is impersonating you directly.

If Someone Is Impersonating You:

1. Go to the impersonating profile.
2. Tap the three dots (...) in the top right.
3. Select "Report," then "Report Account," then "Pretending to be someone else."
4. Choose "Me."

In most cases, Instagram will require you to verify your identity to prove you are who you say you are. You will need to submit a photo of yourself holding a government-issued photo ID (like a driver’s license or passport). Follow the instructions carefully to expedite the review.

If Someone Is Impersonating Someone Else:

Follow the same steps as above, but when asked who is being impersonated, choose "Someone I know," "A celebrity or public figure," or "A business or organization." You won’t need to provide ID in this case, but Instagram will still investigate the claim.

What Happens After You Report Something?

After you submit a report, it goes into a queue for review by Instagram's global team, which uses a combination of technology and human reviewers. You can check the status of your reports in your account settings:

Go to your Profile >, Menu (☰) >, Settings and Privacy >, Help >, Support Requests >, Reports.

Here, you'll see a history of the content you've reported and the outcome of the review. The verdict will generally be one of three things:

• Violation Found: Post Removed. Success! The content was found to be in violation and has been taken down. The user may also face further penalties like a temporary suspension.
• No Violation Found. The reviewers decided the content did not break the rules. You might disagree, but the report is closed.
• Under Review. The report is still pending.

If Instagram decides the post doesn't violate its guidelines but you strongly believe it does, you can sometimes request an additional review directly from the Support Requests screen. This sends it to a different reviewer for a second set of eyes.

Final Thoughts

Getting a post taken down from Instagram is entirely possible as long as it genuinely violates the platform's rules. Following the correct process for the specific violation - whether it's an in-app report for harassment or a formal DMCA notice for your stolen photo - is the most important step toward getting the content removed quickly and effectively.

While reacting to abusive content is a necessary part of managing a social presence, building a strong, positive brand is the best proactive defense. Creating a thoughtful content plan keeps your messaging clear and on-brand, while paying close attention to your digital community helps you spot problems early. By using Postbase, we're able to manage all our comments and DMs in one unified inbox, which helps us handle potentially negative interactions before they escalate and keeps our audience experience positive.