The desire to view the follower list of a private Instagram account is a common curiosity among users. However, Instagram’s privacy settings are designed to restrict access to such information, limiting visibility to only approved followers of that account. The primary function of a private account is to control who can view content and information, including the follower list.
Privacy is a core principle of many social media platforms, and Instagram is no exception. Limiting access to follower lists protects users from unwanted attention, stalking, or data harvesting. Historically, open access to such information has been exploited for malicious purposes. The ability to control visibility provides a degree of security and comfort for users.