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UPDATE: Got my Instagram back after 6 weeks. Exactly what I did (and what I don't know)

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I promised myself if I ever got it back I'd write it up, because threads like this kept me sane. Background: IG + FB disabled March 27 (yes, that wave). IG reason: child sexual exploitation. I'm a youth hockey dad and post my kids' games, so my guess is the system saw kids in uniforms and freaked out. What I did, in order: 1. Day 1: screenshotted the notice, the reason and the deadline to disagree. Wrote down the time (around 11am MT). 2. Day 1: hit Disagree on both. Short, polite, factual. No essay. Who I am, what's on the account, that I've never posted anything like that. 3. Day 2: both rejected. IG then gave me the confirm-it's-you video selfie. Did it by a window in daylight, no hat, slow head turns. 4. Did NOT make a new account. Did NOT redo the selfie, even though I wanted to every single day. 5. Week 2: filed a complaint with my state AG's consumer protection office, mostly for a paper trail. Got a polite reply saying they can't restore accounts but it's on file. 6. Weeks 3-5: nothing. Checked once a day max, tried not to obsess (failed). 7. Yesterday, day 42: opened the app expecting the disabled screen and it went straight to my feed. No email, no notification. Just back. What I don't know: whether it was the selfie, the AG complaint, or just someone finally getting to my case. Honestly I think it was time plus not messing with it. Facebook is still disabled, so not celebrating too hard. What I'm doing now: 2FA with an authenticator app, downloaded all my info, and the kids' stuff goes in a private family album from now on. Hang in there. And don't pay anyone who DMs you promising a fix.
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8 comments

  1. Congrats!! This gives me hope. I'm on day 43 today lol so maybe
  2. @dee then maybe tomorrow's your day. Seriously, hang in.
  3. Did you write anything in the appeal about being a parent? Wondering if that helps or hurts
    1. @Anonymous one line: 'the account has photos of my own kids' hockey games, fully clothed, at public rinks.' Didn't want to sound defensive.
  4. Saving this. Wish I'd read the don't-redo-the-selfie part earlier, I did it 5 times 🙃
  5. Really happy for you. Still out here but this is the post I needed today
  6. Which state? and do u think the AG thing actually mattered?
    1. @Ken Colorado. No idea if it mattered, they were upfront that they can't restore accounts. I'd still do it, it's free and took 15 min.

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