To ask if the police can track an Instagram account from a username **Content warning** Title edited by MNHQ

[User1000005]

And read everything on it?

What?

Why do you ask?

They can order (with a warrant) the username info from Instagram IF there's a serious reason for it.

But I may have watched too many police/crime drama so take it with a pinch of salt

Yes.

Why, what have you done?

By track, do you mean a deleted account? If you mean an active account, then yes, much like every other member of the public...

The short answer is yes, but it would have to be for a VERY good reason. Like, solving a murder or something.

Why?

Do you mean from an Instagram username? If it's locked I think they'd have to ask Instagram (who are owned by FB??) for access.

I did a google and found this
' • In an emergency situation – if Facebook believes in good faith that there is a risk of serious injury or death or imminent harm to a child, it will release your data without a Mutual Legal Assistance request
It is highly likely that Facebook will release at least some private data to the police if requested. Statistics released by Facebook show that from the period July-December 2018, authorities in the UK submitted 7,218 requests for information (either using a legal process or via an emergency request). Facebook provided data in 91% of these cases'

www.conspiracysolicitor.co.uk/site/our-services/police-powers-phone-social-media/

Yes they can. It doesn't need to be for a murder. It can be if they have safeguarding concerns with a child say. So the same with Snapchat accounts etc. They can delve into everything.

Basically a follow of my dd reported that she had posted suicidal feeling on Instagram. The Instagram wasn’t in her real name as it’s a private mental health venting account. The follower also didn’t know her full name so gave this name to the police. Dd is now worried they will be reading her Instagram

I don't think there's anything to worry about even if they do read it. They'll be looking to see if there's safety concerns, not judging anything else she posts.

I think I'd be more worried about dd having suicidal feelings. Is this something she's getting help with? How does she know someone reported it - did they tell her?

Shouldn’t you be more concerned for your daughters welfare? Sounds like someone was rightly concerned about her, is she ok? What are you doing to support her if this is the kind of thing she’s posting?

yeah sorry but I'd be more concerned about my daughter than the police

I am supporting her but this is something that worries her.

Why? What does she think the police would do if they find out she's having suicidal thoughts? Or is there something more she doesn't want them seeing?

No it’s just her personal messages. I wouldn’t want someone looking in my phone I don’t have anything to hide.

Ok but how did she know this is happening? Did the follower tell her?

Thinking about suicide isn’t illegal, talking about suicide isn’t illegal, committing suicide isn’t illegal.

Your DD needn’t be worried about the police. Hope she is getting some help.

Yes the follower told her

If the police are seriously worried about the individual, then they could endeavour to read the private messages in an attempt to identify the person so as to provide help.

I think it's unlikely they would got the trouble simply on a single report, as instagram are unlikely to simply go "sure", and the police are unlikely to take a single report very seriously sadly.

If your DD pro-actively talked to the police to assure them that she is well, and that she has support, then that would be the end of it, that would likely need knowing who in the police was dealing with it of course.

I can understand why you wanting to re-assure your daughter on her privacy fears is part of supporting your daughter, and I'm not going to assume that this is your only worry about the situation as others seem to be.

@User1000005 I don't think she has anything to worry about in that case. Unfortunately, there are loads of people who write all sort of posts on social media and I assume the police get a lot of reports. Unless there a great cause for concern (all depends on what exactly has been written), they probably wouldn't do much about it having been reported by one person (I assume).

Even if they do, they'll only be wanting to check she's okay, make contact with her family/parents to ask for her welfare, etc and if all is well, not much else would come of it.

@User1000005

I am supporting her but this is something that worries her.

The police are more likely to refer this to the ambulance service if they thought someone was in immediate need, your daughter doesn’t need to worry about this - she’s done nothing wrong and tbh neither has the person who flagged her messages, they were just trying to help her

Just support her, there’s nothing else to worry about

I posted before how my son got sent a horrible video from school which I called the police about and the phone was with the police for ages as evidence, when we got it back they said it was wiped. It wasn't I had to delete the video myself. So going from that I don't think they are that good with phones.

I believe she had posted that she had plans to do something. So I would say it’s quite serious. She was found through her mental health team as has quite an uncommon first name.

Then I think it's a good thing they're involved if she's posting something that serious - does it have anything to do with harming others? Because I'm not sure what else it would be for the police to get involved and her to be so worried?