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How to make followers on instagram private


How to Hide Followers and Following Lists in Instagram

Having a presence on social media has become part of our identity. Not that everyone has to have a Facebook or Instagram account, but people assume that you do. For the most part, we do share our lives on social media, but not everyone is comfortable with all that it brings.

Instagram, and other social media platforms, have blurred the lines of what’s considered private information. For that reason, you ought to take some precautions. Maybe you want to hide your Followers and Following list on Instagram. But can you do that?

Hiding Your Followers

Quick Links

  • Hiding Your Followers
  • Control Your Visibility
    • Step 1
    • Step 2
    • Step 3
    • Step 4
  • Removing Followers
    • Step 1
    • Step 2
    • Step 3
  • Restricting Accounts
    • Step 1
    • Step 2
    • Step 3
    • Step 4
  • Block Accounts
    • Step 1
    • Step 2
    • Step 3
    • Can I hide who I’m following on Instagram?
    • Can I hide my activity status on Instagram?
    • Can people who don’t follow me see my followers?
  • Stay Mindful About Online Privacy

The rules of social media platforms sometimes seem quite arbitrary. It’s a balance between giving the users a lot of choices to control their accounts but still maintaining the core of what they represent. Instagram, on the surface, has a straightforward concept. Before adding the Instagram Story Feature and IGTV, it was just a place where you posted your photos and videos. Now, it’s a lot more than that.

So, can you hide the Followers and Following list on Instagram? Unfortunately, you can’t. The actual numbers that represent how many people you’re following and how many people follow you in return are always visible. It doesn’t matter what type of account you have – you can’t hide the numbers. It’s one of the areas where Instagram is uncompromising.

It makes sense. Whether you like it or not, a lot of what drives social media is how many followers you have. It would be a counterintuitive business decision if you could just hide the Following and Followers list on Instagram and leave everyone to speculate. But there are things you can do to manage who sees what in your account.

Control Your Visibility

People don’t always think about what kind of imprint they leave on the Internet. There’s too much information, too many photos, and you can’t control what other people post either. It’s not only prudent but advisable to be aware of who sees what on your Instagram account. Therefore, unless you run a business online, or you’re an influencer or celebrity, you should switch from a public to a private profile.

This automatically allows only your followers to see the list of people you follow and those who follow you back. All they have to do is tap on the number representing each list. However, if your account is public, anyone can access these lists and see the profiles. In order to change from a public to private Instagram account you have to:

Step 1

Open Instagram on your mobile device.

Step 2

Navigate to your profile by tapping on the icon in the far right-hand lower corner. Tap on the three vertical lines at the top right and click on “Settings”.

Step 3

Tap “Privacy,” and tap on “Account Privacy.”

Step 4

Toggle the switch to the right of “Private Account” so that it turns blue.

You can make this change on Instagram for the web as well. A private account means that if people want to follow you, they’ll have to send requests. You then review them and decide who you want to share your Instagram profile with. This includes who’s in your Followers and Following lists.

Removing Followers

Even if you already have a private Instagram account, you can find yourself in a situation where you want to hide your list of followers. But what if the person or persons you want to hide the information from is already following you? This could quite conceivably happen. And when it does, it’s comforting to know you can do something about it. To remove a follower all you have to do is:

Step 1

Open your Instagram app and go to your profile.

Step 2

Tap on the Followers number. There you’ll see a list of your Followers. You can use the search bar to find specific people.

Step 3

Next to each user name you’ll see “Remove”. Click and confirm your selection.

This way the people who previously had access to the list of your Followers and Following lists no longer do. They can still find your profile on Instagram, but they’d have to send you another request to access your page again.

Restricting Accounts

Maybe you’re not looking to remove a follower, but are still experiencing certain issues with them that makes you want to restrict their access to your Instagram account. Instagram absolutely lets you do that. The person you restrict won’t be able to see when you’re online or whether or not you’ve read their messages.

The comments they leave on your posts will only be visible to them. You can choose to see the comment by tapping “See Comment”. And if you want other people following you to see their comment, you can just select “Approve”. Alternatively, you can just delete it or ignore it. Restricting or un-restricting someone’s account can be done this way:

Step 1

Go to your Instagram profile.

Step 2

Go to “Settings” and then “Privacy”.

Step 3

Select “Connections” and then “Restricted Accounts”. Then “Continue”.

Step 4

Type in the name of the account you want to restrict and then select “Restrict” next to their name. Use the same process to “Unrestrict” them if you so choose.

You can also access the restricting accounts feature through Direct messaging, comments, or through their own profile. But this way is probably the easiest.

Block Accounts

Finally, you can always block an Instagram account. It’s usually the final resort for some people. But those with a large following who receive a lot of negativity online are well-accustomed to using it. It’s important to note that if you block someone, they won’t be able to see your followers or who you’re following.

Therefore, it’s probably best to know exactly how to block someone online.

Step 1

Go to the person’s profile page.

Step 2

Tap on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen.

Step 3

Select “Block” and confirm.

That’s it, they’re gone. They won’t be able to see your followers and following lists and won’t be able to see your account at all.

Can I hide who I’m following on Instagram?

Unfortunately, there are no native functions that allow you to hide who you’re following. You can either follow the steps above to keep unwanted snoopers from seeing your interests, or you can create a secondary account to follow whoever you’d like undetected.

Can I hide my activity status on Instagram?

Yes, in the name of privacy this is one of the options Instagram offers its users. You can hide the ‘last active’ status so that it doesn’t appear in Instagrams’ direct messaging feature.

Can people who don’t follow me see my followers?

If you have a private account no. If your account is set to public, or you are mutual followers your follower information is available to that account.

Stay Mindful About Online Privacy

It can be overwhelming, hiding profiles, and restricting accounts. You can easily get tired of it and feel like being on social media isn’t worth the trouble. But with a few clicks, you can make things run a lot smoother. It’s natural to be protective of your privacy, and of those who follow you.

Let us know what you think about this issue in the comments section below.

How to hide followers on Instagram? 3 easy ways

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Instagram is one of the most popular social media networks used by most people. However, protecting your privacy on Instagram can be a little tricky especially if you are new to the app. In this blog we will look into how to hide followers on Instagram.

Instagram has not made it very obvious and easy for those who want stricter privacy settings. Especially for those with a large number of followers but who want to hide it from others.

Before introducing Instagram Reels and Stories it was just a simple platform for sharing photos. However, as the platform features grow it has become increasingly tricky to protect your information on the platform.

Contents

Can you hide followers on Instagram?

The question people often ask is how to hide followers on Instagram? Unfortunately, for Instagram users his is not something you can do.

The number of people that you follow on Instagram and how many people are following you remains visible when people click on your Instagram profile.

Related : Is Instagram safe for kids?

How to hide followers on Instagram using a business account?

Regardless of which account that you use , you cannot hide followers & following lists on Instagram.

Even for a business account, the number of followers remains visible to everyone on the platform.

Do check out the list below

How to hide followers on Instagram using a private account?

Many people don’t consider the importance of keeping your social media account private. Unless you are celebrity or influencer you should always keep your profile private.

You never know how others can use the photos and information that you post.

When using a private account others cannot see the pictures or stories that you post. However, when using a public profile this is visible to everyone.

While the numbers of followers and following list remain visible even on a private account, others cannot view who you actually follow. All they can see is just a number.

Only the people that you actually allow to follow you can view who you follow. On the other hand, on a public account, anyone can see who you are following and your following lists.

The reason why social media platforms want the number of followers to remain visible is that this is the main reason for their existence. Social media apps are driven by number of followers a user has on it’s account.

The obsession people have with the number of followers is what keeps them coming back to the platform. Hence, the app will not make it easy for you to hide followers on Instagram.

Instagram has been testing hiding likes to improve the digital well-being of its followers. This feature is not rolled out everywhere yet.

Maybe in the future Instagram may allow users to hide followers but we don’t see that happening any time soon.

However, there are things you can do to control your visibility on the platform and what people can see when clicking on your profile.

There are 3 things you can do to limit visibility on your Instagram account :

  1. Switching to private mode
  2. Block / Remove user
  3. Restrict a user’s account.

Now let’s take a look at each one of them.

1. Hide followers on Instagram by switching to private mode

By switching to a private profile you can hide the people you follow on Instagram.

You cannot hide the number of followers but you can hide who is actually following you and who you follow.

How to switch to private mode on Intagram:

  1. Open the Instagram app
  • Click on your own profile then click on the 3 horizontal lines at the top right corner of the screen

3. Click on Settings

4. Tap Privacy Settings and Account Privacy

5. Click on Private Account

By switching to a private Instagram account, anyone who wants to follow you must seek for your permission.

You can then decide if you would allow that person to view your profile .

The next thing you can do is either block a user or restrict account. Le’t take a look how you can do this.

2. Difference between Block and Remove on Instagram?

The people you block can no longer find your profile and hence not be able to view your followers on the app.

When you block a user on Instagram, they can no longer search for your profile. As far as they are concerned you are no longer on Instagram even when they try to search for your account.

The only way a person who is blocked can find you is by using another Instagram account and they search for your account. But the blocked account cannot find your profile.

On the other hand, when you remove someone on Instagram they can still see that you have an account on Instagram when they search for your name.

However, they will have to send you another friend request to view your profile.

Related : How to use Instagram Reels to get more followers?

How to block followers on Instagram?

If you do not want certain people to view your profile then the best things you can do is to completely block them.

Blocking can seem a little extreme but it’s the only way to hide followers on Instagram from certain people.

Follow the steps below to hide followers on Instagram :

  1. Click on the profile of the person you want to block
  2. Click on the 3 dot on the top of their profile page
  1. Click Block

4. Click ‘Yes I am sure”.

How to remove followers on Instagram?

If you think blocking a user might seem extreme, you can remove them instead.

When you remove a follower they will not be notified that they have been removed. Instead, when they click on your profile they will see that they are no longer following you and will need your permission to view your profile again.

By removing followers and keeping your profile private you cannot hide followers on Instagram but all they can see is the number of followers and not the list of people actually following you.

Follow the steps below to remove followers from Instagram :

  1. Open Instagram

2. Click on your profile

3. Click on Followers at the top of the screen

4. Either search for people you no longer want to follow you or go through the list and click on “Remove”

By doing so you have not limited the number of people you allow to follow you and hide followers on Instagram.

While the people you remove can find your profile, they will have to send you another request to view your full profile.

3. How to restrict accounts on Instagram?

Restricting a person means limiting what a person can view on your profile without removing the person.

For example, the user that is restricted cannot view when you are active on Instagram or view your stories.

The user also cannot see your online status on Instagram and if you have read a message being sent to you by that user.

Follow the steps below to restrict a user on Instagram:

  1. Open Instagram app
  2. Click on your profile icon
  3. Click on Settings and then click Privacy

4. Click Connections

5. Click Restricted Accounts

6. Fill in the name of the user you want to restrict and click on ‘Restrict’.

If you decide to unrestrict them at any time then follow the same steps as above.

Why can I no longer search a friend’s followers on Instagram?

You would always be able to see the number of followers on a friend’s account. The only reason you cannot view the actual list of followers is if you are no longer friends with that person and they have changed their account from public to private mode.

Also, if your friend has blocked you then you can no longer search for their account and hence see their followers.

How to hide following lists on Instagram from followers?

You can hide following lists on Instagram by switching to a private mode. When you switch your profile from public to private then other users cannot click on your following lists.

However, they can still view the number of following lists.

How can I hide my activity from followers on Instagram?

Many people like to hide their activities on Instagram as there are things they do not want everyone to view.

For example, not many people want others to know when they are active on Instagram.

Let’s take a look on how you can hide your activity status on Instagram

How to hide activity status on Instagram?

Follow the steps below to hide activity status on Instagram :

  1. Open your profile
  2. Click on the 3 lines at the top right of the screen

3. Click on Settings

4. Tap activity status and slide it to turn it off

This will allow you to browse on Instagram with others not knowing that you are actually active on the app.

Can I stop seeing someone on Instagram without unfollowing?

Instagram has introduced a new feature that allows you to stop seeing updates from a particular user without having to remove or block them.

You can do this by Muting the person.

When you Mute posts from that user you will no longer see any updates from that user on your newsfeed.

However, you can still go to their profile and view what they have posted.

You can unmute them whenever you would like to view their posts again.

The best thing about this feature is that the person you muted will never know that they have been muted.

How to mute someone on Instagram?
  1. Click on the person’s profile
  2. Click on the 3 red dot at the top of the screen
  3. Click on Mute
  4. You can mute posts, mute story or mute both. Select the option that you want.

FAQ

How to hide who I am following on Instagram?

You cannot hide who you are following on Instagram. By having a private profile, other users can see the number of people you are following but cannot click on the list of followers.

Can I hide activity status on Instagram?

Yes, you can follow the steps above to hide the visibility of your activity status on Instagram. The ‘last active status’ will be removed from the direct messaging feature.

Can celebrities hide who they follow on Instagram?

Unfortunately no, the rules applies to everyone. Even if you are a celebrity or influencer you cannot hide who you follow on Instagram.

Can verified Instagram accounts hide who they follow?

Unfortunately no, even a verified Instagram account cannot hide who they follow on the platform. The only thing everyone can do is restrict their online activities and have better control of their privacy by following the steps above.

Can non-followers see my instagram story?

If you set your profile to public mode then non-followers can view your Instagram stories and posts. If your account is set to private then only specific people who follow you can view your story.

Conclusion

We hope that we have answered your question on how to hide followers on Instagram.

The most important thing to remember is to always keep your account private and be careful about whom you allow to follow your account.

Always remember that your Instagram posts and stories can always be screenshot. Do not share your phone number and any other private information on any social network.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the growth-mindset kit aimed at raising children growing in a tech world. 

Instagram: privacy and security settings

Social network accounts, especially popular ones, are a tasty morsel for attackers. And it is easiest to hack what is poorly protected. Therefore, we regularly remind you that it is worth taking care of the security of your accounts, as far as social networks allow it.

  • Set up privacy and security for your Instagram account
    • The most important security settings on Instagram
      • How to change your Instagram password
      • How to set up two-factor authentication on Instagram
      • How to check in the app if you received a real email from Instagram
      • Where to find the list of apps connected to Instagram
    • The most important privacy settings on Instagram
      • How to close your Instagram account and edit your followers list
      • How to control who sees your Instagram stories
      • How to get rid of spam comments on Instagram
      • How to get rid of spam in direct and adding to the left groups on Instagram
      • How to hide your online status on Instagram
      • How to block or restrict a user from your Instagram
      • How to remove unnecessary push notifications in the Instagram app
  • Do not forget to set up security in other social networks

Unfortunately, security and privacy settings are often difficult to understand. Moreover, developers change them from time to time. For example, Instagram settings have recently been updated. We tell you what is useful in them and where to look for this useful. nine0003

Setting up account security on Instagram

New Instagram settings allow you to even more securely protect against unauthorized account login and identity theft.

To find your security settings:

  • Open your profile.
  • Click on the three bars in the upper right corner of the screen.
  • Select Settings .
  • Go to section Security .

Where to find the security settings in the Instagram app

The password is the head of everything

The first rule of security for any account is to set a good, long, unique password. Attackers will not be able to quickly pick it up and will not find it in the databases that they managed to steal from other sites, which means they will not be able to hack into your account. At least, if you do not give out your password yourself or it does not leak from the social network itself.

How to set up two-factor authentication on Instagram

Turn on two-factor authentication to ensure that your password is leaked. Every time someone tries to log in on a new device on your behalf, the social network will request a one-time code from SMS or from a special application. Thus, you will always be aware of login attempts, and it will be impossible to hack your account without knowing the code. nine0003

To enable two-factor authentication:

  • Select Two-factor authentication .
  • Press Start .
  • Choose how you want to receive codes: via SMS or two-factor authentication app .

How to set up two-factor authentication in the Instagram app

An added bonus - after enabling this feature, the social network will give you backup codes . They will help you log into your profile if you don’t have a phone at hand that should receive SMS or on which an application for generating one-time codes is installed (yes, you can do this too - see this post for more details). Write down the backup codes and keep in a safe place.

How to check in the app if you received a real email from Instagram

Instagram developers figured out how to protect their users from phishing via email. Now in the application settings you can see what letters the social network has sent you over the past two weeks. If you received a letter supposedly from Instagram, but it is not in the application, you can safely send it to spam. nine0003

To see which social media notifications are real:

  • Select Emails from Instagram .
  • Look for the letter you are interested in under the Security tab if it concerns login attempts, suspicious activity from your account, and so on. If it's about something else, check if it's on the tab Other .

How to check in the app if you received a real email from Instagram

Where to find a list of apps connected to Instagram

Another source of danger is third-party sites and apps. They are connected to expand the capabilities of the social network, for example, add photo filters or convenient marketing tools. However, if such an application is hacked or its authors are dishonest, your account can be used for criminal purposes. You can view the list of connected applications and sites and remove everything superfluous in the same section Security , in block Applications and websites .

Where can I find the list of apps connected to Instagram

Setting up Instagram privacy?

Instagram allows you not only to keep your profile safe, but also to restrict access to your photos, videos, stories and other data. You can hide personal content from prying eyes, save yourself and friends from offensive comments, and prevent subscribers from sharing your stories and posts with others. For this:

  • Open your profile.
  • Click on the three bars in the upper right corner of the screen.
  • Select Settings .
  • Go to section Privacy .

Where to find the privacy settings in the Instagram app

How to close your Instagram account

If Instagram is not a promotion site for you, but a place to share pictures and videos with friends, you can make your account private:

  • Open Account privacy .
  • Enable Closed account .

How to close your Instagram account

Now only followers you have approved will see your posts and stories. True, there are some nuances. Firstly, everyone who managed to subscribe to you before is automatically considered approved by the social network. If you do not agree with it, then you need to do this:

  • Section Privacy select Accounts you follow .
  • On the Followers tab, find and remove those you don't want to show your posts and stories to.

How to edit your Instagram followers list

Secondly, if you repost an Instagram photo to another social network, it will be seen by everyone who can see your posts on that social network. So if you do this often, don't forget to set up privacy on other social networks as well.

How to control who sees your Instagram stories

If you are an insta-blogger and it is not convenient for you to close your account, you can control access to specific content. For example, Instagram allows you to hide stories from individual users, publish some of them only to your list of close friends, and limit or even turn off the ability to respond to them. All this is done in section Privacy in block History . There you can also prevent readers from sharing your stories in messages and showing your posts in their stories. nine0003

How to control who sees your Instagram stories

To protect yourself and your followers from abuse and spam, you can automatically hide inappropriate comments using Instagram filters or your own. You can configure this in section Privacy , in block Comments . There you can also prevent especially gifted spammers from commenting on your photos and videos.

How to get rid of spam comments on Instagram

How to get rid of direct spam on Instagram

The social network allows you to prevent outsiders from writing you private messages and adding you to groups. If you are annoyed by spam in direct or you think that messages are your private space, open in section Privacy block Messages and select Only people you follow for both items.

How to get rid of spam in direct and adding to the left groups on Instagram

How to hide your online status on Instagram

If you don't want your readers to know when you're online, you can hide your online status from them. To do this, select in section Privacy item Network status and deactivate the switch. True, after that you will also not be able to see information about the activity of other users.

How to hide your online status on Instagram

How to hide from specific users on Instagram

Finally, spammers and other annoying readers can be blocked or restricted from accessing your account. To do this, click on the objectionable profile three dots in the upper right corner and select Block or Restrict access .

How to block or restrict someone from accessing your Instagram

Restricted account holders will still be able to view your photos and videos and even leave comments on them, but only you and the author will see these comments. nine0003

You can also put the user in silent mode if you are tired of his stories and posts in the feed. This can also be done in his profile:

  • Click the button Subscriptions .
  • Select Switch to silent mode .
  • Enable mute mode for Stories , Posts or both.

Setting the Instagram user to silent mode

Your friend will not know anything about it, and you can take a break from the flurry of his photos and look at them only when you are in the mood - his profile will remain visible to you. nine0003

How to remove unnecessary push notifications in the Instagram app

Instagram, like any social network, by default sends more notifications than you need. To avoid annoying pop-up notifications that one of your friends has posted a photo for the first time in a long time, you can turn them off. To do this:

  • Open your profile.
  • Click on the three bars in the upper right corner of the screen.
  • Select Settings . nine0010
  • Go to section Notices .
  • Go through the list of push notifications and turn them off for any events you don't want to know about right away. If you don't want to be notified at all, for example when you're playing or watching a series, select Pause all and set how long Instagram will remain silent.

How to remove unnecessary push notifications in the Instagram app

Now you know how to protect your Instagram account and can customize it the way you want. It's time to remember about your accounts in other social networks. Here's what the security and privacy settings look like on Vkontakte, Facebook, Odnoklassniki, and Twitter. nine0003

Hide your Instagram subscriptions: 4 effective ways

On open pages, outsiders can see information on subscriptions and subscribers. To hide subscriptions on Instagram, you need to know a few "tricks".

Table of contents

  • Why hide Instagram followers and is it possible to do it
    • Method 1: make your page private
    • Method 2: block access to a specific person
    • Method 3: create a second profile
    • Method 4: Remove search by phone number
  • Proper privacy settings

Why hide subscriptions on Instagram and is it possible to do this

There is no function to hide individual sections in the Instagram privacy settings.

But you can hide subscriptions from others in the following ways:

  • make the page private. Restrict access to strangers to view information;
  • block a specific person. That is, send him to the "black list"; nine0010
  • unfollow everyone;
  • add another profile. Clean account, no posts;
  • remove search by phone number. So that acquaintances and friends do not find the page.

The first option is suitable for owners of personal pages without business settings. This profile category is public until privacy settings are specified. For business accounts, this option is not provided. By transferring the page to the “closed” status, additional functionality will automatically disappear. nine0003

Locking is easier - it is available on all types of profiles. The blocked user will not be notified that they have been moved to the "black list". But it will be possible to view the information through another profile on Instagram or by clicking on the link using a browser.

By hiding the phone number, the account owner forbids searching for it by contact information. Those users who have recently registered will not see him in the lists of recommended friends.

Method 1: make your page private

Hidden subscriptions are available on private profiles. Going to such a page, a message will appear: "Account is hidden by privacy settings." To view a photo or video, you need to send a request to confirm your subscription. The page owner can accept or decline the addition request.

How to switch to private settings:

  1. Open the Instagram application - log in.
  2. My account - side menu " Settings ".
  3. Privacy - Profile type.
  4. Move the slider to the Closed state.

With open business parameters, Instagram will offer to switch to a personal account and after that, to the “Closed” status. Also, when connecting to additional functionality, a message will appear on the page: " Make your profile public ".

Subscription requests are displayed in the tab: "Notifications" - Requests. Next to the application there are buttons: "Accept" or "Reject". nine0003

Method 2: block access to a specific person

Is it possible to hide subscriptions from a specific person or subscribers? Only through blocking accounts. Blocked users cannot view photos, videos, stories and follow the page. Instead, the sections of the profile will be canceled subscribers, subscriptions and publications.

How to hide subscriptions from a subscriber:

  1. Log in to Instagram - select the profile of a specific user. nine0010
  2. Jump - click on the top three dots.
  3. In the drop-down menu: Block.
  4. Confirm blocking.

You can find subscribers from the "black list" in the "Privacy" section by going to the application settings. The blocking is mutual, that is, it will not work to see the profile of the blocked person. Instagram automatically denies access, regardless of the desire of the account owner.

Method 3: create a second profile

One of the options for how to restrict your page from others and prohibit viewing subscriptions is to use another page. This is a separate clean account that can become personal, blogs or work only for correspondence. nine0003

How to make a second page on Instagram:

  1. Enter the social network - click on your nickname at the top.
  2. Below: "Add account" - Register a new one.
  3. Specify data and connect another phone number or email.

To create another page, the user needs to register with different data. This list includes an email address or phone number.

After creating the page, a switch will appear at the top, through which you can change accounts. They are not linked, so subscribers will not be able to detect it. nine0003

Method 4: Remove search by phone number

You can enable the function in the application, which will allow other users to find the account by number. Connecting the phone book means that all recorded ones will also be displayed.

How to remove:

  1. Open Instagram from the computer version.
  2. Log in - Settings.
  3. Disable my profile recommendations.

After - you need to edit the access parameters via smartphone. nine0003

  1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
  2. Applications - Instagram.
  3. Permissions - Phone book.
  4. Disable.

Now, the profile owner will not receive recommendations about their friends who have recently registered with the social network. The same works in reverse: new users who have a number in the phone book will not see this person. But before editing permissions, you need to check: how the number is connected to the page on Instagram. nine0003

Correct privacy settings

Instagram does not have settings to block sections. Therefore, profile owners are left to unsubscribe from subscriptions or block selected profiles.

Learn more