Stalking Instagram Stories

[WinterNightsByCandleLight]

Right, ladies, is this weird?

One of my OH's work colleagues doesn't follow me on Instagram (and doesn't have me on Facebook either) - the two other women who work in his department that OH is close with, do follow me, and I follow them also! We all get along well and regularly chat/have banter etc - not sure that's relevant but thought I'd add it in anyway!

So, the one that doesn't follow me (who I also don't follow)..
I noticed this evening that she'd watched my Instagram story that I posted this afternoon. Upon spotting this, I went back through my Archive of Instagram stories and have seen that she's been watching my daily stories almost religiously for nearly three months now?! 🤔 To watch someone's story that you dont follow, you need to search for them to get to their profile and then watch it that way - as opposed to when you do follow someone, their story will appear at the top of your feed making it nice and easy to quickly tap and see what people are posting.

Is it weird that she's quite blatantly searching for my profile on an almost daily basis to watch my stories!? I think it is.. I told OH about it but he can't see why it bothers me. For the record, it's not that it 'bothers' me as such, I just find it quite creepy and strange!

Oh and before people jump to it, I can categorically rule out anything going on between weird stalker colleague and my OH!

If she was watching because she was weird she would set up a profile using a different name and/or photo.

But she might not realise that people can see who watches their Instagram stories. I don't post stories myself, so didn't realise that for a long time.

I'm with you OP, its definitely stalker-ish/nosy behaviour. I sometimes do it with people I don't follow - because I'm interested in them/being nosy, but I don't want to follow them for whatever reason (e.g. I don't know them well enough or don't want them to follow me back). But to remember to do that every single day means she must be thinking about you a lot, which is slightly weird.

It's a little odd.

Can't you just block her? I did that when the woman my OH was having a 'thing' with kept looking at my posts. I have no idea what the fascination was but I personally wouldn't behave like this, so who knows how some people's minds work? Going by my experience she could very well fancy your OH and her obsession extends to seeing what you're up to.

You’re not wrong - it’s weird af! And you’re not out of order to wonder why she does this. If she was flowing you it would be a whole lot less bizarre than to actually physically search for you on a daily basis. As an aside, my ex ex was obviously having a nose at my instagram the other day and must have accidentally clicked ‘follow’, then immediately unfollowed me. Made me chuckle to think of the moment of horror she must have felt it’s my worst nightmare when I have a sneaky nose of someone’s social media!

If it were happening to me, I would feel a bit odd about it, but not too much. It'd certainly make me intrigued as to why this person is seeking me out so often.

But there are people I stalk because I'm curious about a certain part of their life. They might be former colleagues or friends of friends. It's just intrigue about their life, but for innocent reasons.

Try not to let it get to you.

He could very well be oblivious to her interest in him. Or, like my OH, he might be so good at lying that you have no idea there's something going on between them, but as you've ruled that out it seems likely to be the first option.

The only time I’ve ever done this to someone I wasn’t friends with was when I fancied her other half. It became a bit of an obsession.

Erm yes that is weird because of the effort she's putting in on a daily basis. It's weird she doesn't just follow you as that would make viewing easier. She's choosing not to follow for a reason.

A girl my sister went to school with 25 years ago who I had no contact with then or since does exactly this to me every day for most of this year.

My sister says she's a recluse and has cut contact with everyone so maybe just likes looking at someone different. I don't think she realises I can see who's viewing

How very sad that you are even bothered by this. You've made it public who cares!!!

Fuddle it's 'sad' to wonder why my OH's colleague is going on to my profile every day to see what I'm doing despite not following me/barely knowing me whatsoever?
If people genuinely can't see that her behaviour is odd then I literally don't know what else to say 🤷🏻‍♀️

But OP anyone can follow anyone who has s public profile. Why do you have your settings set to public? Genuinely? You want people to look at it. If you only want followers then set to private. I really do t think there is any difference between the person who leaves an account in public view and the person who looks at a public account. In fact I thi k the person who leaves settings on public is worse as they are craving attention and/or just want followers.

Maybe she hates your DH? (Sorry, that sounds awful but hear me out...)

I work with someone who is awful, whose wife is very active on Insta. Loads of us at work (it's a very big office) stalk the wife's Insta, just for a laugh. I do wonder if she notices, but she does have a LOT of followers (five figures) so I dunno.

But we stalk her for the LOLs

I don't post stories or actual posts with the mindset of 'oooh I really Hope a bunch of random people look at my stuff, how exhilarating!'. If people stumble across my profile, then fair enough, I couldn't give two shits whether or not a stranger sees what I'm doing or not. I've not left my profile public because I 'lap up attention' 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️

My point is she does this every day. There is no need to see what someone you hardly know is doing every single day when you don't follow them. Like honestly, it'd make her life easier to just follow me, then she could keep up to date with my posts and story updates without having to go out of her way to search for me each time and every time.

I asked OH if he gets along well with her, and he said they might have a quick chat here and there whilst at work, but nothing much more than that. I don't think I'll ever know why she's doing this, I'm obviously just gonna have to let it slide!

I don’t post stuff because I hope a bunch of random people look at my sruff

By leaving your profile on a public setting, that is exactly what you hope!

I'm not hoping for that though. If it happens, it happens and that's that. I just didn't expect people to return to my profile every damn day. I literally couldn't imagine a single scenario where I'd do that with someone 🤔😐 oh well, each to their own I guess. Obviously something I'm doing is amusing or interesting to her, so she can crack on I suppose.

It is a bit odd. But it’s just someone passing the time of day. Watching someone you vaguely know can be more interesting than someone you know. We all people watch.
But I agree if your profile is public then you are inviting anyone to look should they please. I do find it odd those who have public profiles, unless it’s for work, I really don’t understand why. Particularly if you’re checking who is watching your stories.
Can people tell when you look at their photos or is just their stories.

Some people like to look, others like to be looked at. Neither is worse or better than the other.

But it all boils down to the fact that she isn't following me, she's actively seeking out my profile each time.. So because she isn't following me, every day she must have the thought of 'oh, let's search for her, go on her profile and see what she's doing'.
I watch people's stories when I'm bored too.. but it's people I follow.. I don't search for a specific person who I'm not following to see what they get up to every day.

I'd basically just like to know why she's doing it but I'll never know without directly asking her - which I'm obviously not going to do. Never mind!

People do odd things without reason sometimes. Generally harmless.
But this is why you should keep your profile private. So instanced like this don’t occur and play with your head.

The people who are making out it isn't a bug deal likely do the same. It's fucking weird and I'd make your page private.

Shesabelter you are right as I do something similar to someone I know (vaguely). She travels and her stories are interesting. She is very wealthy and her children are dressed nicely and she is friends with minor celebrities. It is probably because she wants people to know all that, that she keeps her page public. I watch her stories regularly but have never followed her as there is a certain etiquette with Istagram where if you follow somebody and they request to follow you, you more or less have to accept them even if it is to remove them in the foreseeable future. I have a bog standard life - SAHM, live in the suburbs, take photographs mainly of my children. If I had a more interesting privileged lifestyle or if I was advertising something and/or hoping to become an 'influencer' then I'd have no problem accepting all follow requests. But I don't and I don't want people knowing what I'm doing in my standard lifestyle. If I didn't mind, I'd leave my page public.

OP I get your confusion! I have a friends boyfriend watch my stories a lot, to think the guy actually actively looks me up all the time is odd, I mean follow at least?

OP you keep asking about her motives but have igOne poster even said she did it when she had a crusgh on that woman's boyfriend.

Now that you said it started when you all went to a wedding, she may have a crush on you after seeing you (do we know, maybe she's into women?), or still possible it's a crush on your OH.

sorry, part of the 1st sentence got cut off there - ignored all of us who said it was a crush - simplest explanation!

Yes I can see it would be intriguing for you. How do you get on with her? Do you chat and have banter with her? Perhaps she is looking at your Instagram to see pictures of your DP? If she fancies him then it's a way of getting more information. Although as you say nothing is going on.