What Does "Who You Might Know Is on Instagram" Mean?

This is Instagram's friend suggestion feature. It uses data signals to recommend accounts you may have a real-world connection with.

How Instagram Knows

• Phone contacts — Synced contacts matched to Instagram accounts
• Facebook connections — Cross-referenced via Meta
• Mutual followers — Many shared connections
• Email contacts — Linked email addresses
• Location data — Frequent same-location signals

How to Stop It

1. Remove synced contacts (Settings → Account → Contacts Syncing → Off)
2. Disconnect Facebook
3. Dismiss individual suggestions

Instagram does NOT notify users when they appear in someone else's suggestions.