Unlike on Facebook, it's easy for a case of harmless Instagram stalking to go awry. You're looking at a photo of your crush with their ex, and an accidental tap on screen turns into a dreaded Like.
This is that moment when panic begins to set in: You pledge to never harmlessly stalk again, and you wish more than anything that you could turn back time. That is, unfortunately, impossible, but there is something you can do: Un-Like the photo, ASAP.
Let's start with the bad news. If said crush has their Instagram notifications enabled, they'll see a notification on their lock screen, showing that you Liked a photo (regardless of how fast you un-Liked it).
However, as long you un-Like the photo before they open Instagram, they won't see any notification in the app. Of course, the longer you take to un-Like the photo, the greater the chance that the app will be opened and your mistake exposed for real.
When we tested the feature (just with friends), we waited a full 10 minutes to tap un-Like. Even then, although the notification showed up on our friends' lock screens, it didn't appear in Instagram.
Now, this isn't foolproof. Any savvy Instagram user — or anyone who reads this article — will know that the seemingly faulty notification is in fact not faulty at all. But in dire situations, damage control is always worth a shot.
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