Abhinav Ankit, a cybersecurity analyst, highlights a critical and emerging issue in his recent report: the rise of “Banning Communities.”
Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are widely used across the globe, but their large-scale data handling and user interfaces often expose users to security threats. This is particularly problematic on Instagram, where security issues are growing rapidly, despite the platform’s frequent updates to its guidelines. Each new policy update seems to come with loopholes that malicious users exploit, creating significant risks for social media users.
Abhinav Ankit, a cybersecurity analyst, highlights a critical and emerging issue in his recent report: the rise of “Banning Communities.” These communities manipulate the reporting systems designed to protect users, turning them into tools for harassment, extortion, and unfair competition.
The Rise of Banning Communities
Banning Communities are loosely organized groups on platforms like Instagram, often comprising young users aged 14 to 17. These users exploit Instagram’s reporting system, which allows individuals to report accounts for violations such as privacy breaches or impersonation. While these tools are meant to safeguard users, Banning Communities misuse them by mass-reporting targeted accounts to force temporary bans, often without valid reasons.
How Banning Communities Operate
1. Targeting and Extortion: Banning Communities often target social media creators, particularly women, by demanding private photos or videos. If the creator refuses, the group orchestrates mass reporting of the account, triggering an automatic red flag in Instagram’s system. Accounts are temporarily banned until the attackers’ demands are met.
2. Monetary Extortion: Beyond harassment, Banning Communities engage in extortion. After successfully banning an account, they contact the creator with a demand for payment, usually ranging from INR 10,000 to 2,50,000, in exchange for retracting the reports and restoring the account.
3. Sabotage and Unfair Competition: These communities are also weaponized by competitors who wish to hinder the growth of their rivals. They hire Banning Communities to report competitors, pushing them off the platform temporarily and disrupting their business or follower engagement.
Security Threats to Instagram Users
Abhinav’s report emphasizes that these actions pose severe threats to Instagram users’ security, with many creators and influencers becoming victims of these schemes. Despite Instagram’s efforts to improve its reporting and account recovery processes, the issue remains pervasive.
Abhinav Ankit
How to Protect Yourself
Abhinav suggests the following measures for social media users to safeguard their accounts:
1. Ignore and Report: Avoid engaging with unsolicited messages or demands from unknown users. Report these accounts directly through official platform channels.
2. Direct Communication: If you feel unsafe or have issues with your account, contact the platform directly through the official grievance redressal emails available on their websites.
3. Avoid Sharing Sensitive Information: Never share personal or government-issued documents with third-party agencies claiming to help recover your account. Only share such details through the platform’s official recovery process.
4. Link Accounts Across Platforms: Connect your Instagram and Facebook accounts. If one account is compromised, you can use the linked account’s support to seek help more effectively.
5. Do Not Pay Ransoms: Paying Banning Communities or extortionists only encourages their behavior. Instead, report these incidents to the platform and seek legal assistance if necessary.