What Is "Instagram Wrapped" And Is It A Scam? Here's What We Know About The Viral App
"Instagram Wrapped" claims to reveal your top friends, secret admirers, and the number of accounts that blocked you, but some say it might be a scam – here's what you need to know before you sign up.
Every year, millions of Spotify users eagerly await their Wrapped results to view their listening activity. So imagine everyone's excitement when they heard about a new app called "2023 Wrapped for Instagram."
Apparently, this so-called "Instagram Wrapped" is designed to show the amount of time you spent on the platform in 2023 and juicy details about your followers. This includes how many users took screenshots of your posts, secret admirers, the hours you spent on Instagram, your top friends, the number of users who blocked you, and the percentage of male and female followers you have. Sounds too good to be true, right? That's probably because it is.
Unlike Spotify Wrapped, Wrapped for Instagram is a third-party app. It has no affiliation with Instagram whatsoever. This means you're willingly giving up your password to an unknown party. Because there have been numerous viral videos about the app on TikTok, many people have already signed up for it, and unfortunately, a lot of them said they got hacked. Just look at all of the one-star reviews on the Apple Store.
Screenshot: Apple Store
Some users report that they couldn't access their Instagram shortly after using the app and that they received phishing emails. "They are definitely stealing information! In the middle of the night i got a bunch of emails that someone is trying to reset and change my password for instagram and facebook!" a review by @Poppyseed1998 reads. "I had already deleted the app and changed my passwords before than. Just beware and DONT DOWNLOAD OR GIVE THEM INFO!! Also they tried to reset my passwords for a couple other weird apps like instacart etc! Just stay away for sure."
Others on TikTok say the results the app gives you are false. "It said my top friend of 2023 was someone I literally followed last week and have never talked to them 😭," one TikToker wrote.
The app's privacy policy states, "For a better experience, while using our Service, we may require you to provide us with certain personally identifiable information. The information that we request will be retained by us and used as described in this privacy policy."
"The app does use third-party services that may collect information used to identify you."
Wrapped for Instagram also claims they do their best to protect users' personal information, but it "cannot guarantee its absolute security." If you considered joining the Instagram Wrapped trend, you may want to rethink your decision.
Gen Z Gets Hacked More Than Boomers
Well, this is embarrassing. According to a study by the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA), Generation Z is more likely to fall for online scams than Baby Boomers. The younger generation revealed higher rates of victimization to phishing, identity theft, romance scams, and cyberbullying. “They're tech savvy [and] they're digital native, but that doesn't necessarily make them security savvy,” said NCA's executive director, Lisa Pleggemier. Another survey from Deloitte showed that Gen Z Americans are three times more likely to get scammed than boomers.
Gen Z frequently uses technology, making them the prime target for online scams. Second, their familiarity with digital devices can lead them to prioritize convenience over safety, putting them at risk of getting hacked and scammed. So, while technology may be one of Gen Z's biggest strengths, it could also be their kryptonite.
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