A Finsta is a combination of the words "fake" and "Insta(gram)." Teens who have Finsta accounts on Instagram only add a small handful of close friends to their fake, private account.
Essentially they have a real Instagram account (called Rinsta) that allows anyone to view their profile and then also a Finsta account to hide overtly sexual behavior or cultivate an alter ego. The fake account allows teens to post photos without school officials, parents or coworkers seeing the content. Finsta usernames tend to be elusive enough to escape detection of searches by parents or schools, but obvious enough to be known by their peers.
What are the dangers of Finsta accounts?
- Finsta accounts increase revenge pornography.
- Even after an account is deleted, screenshots and recovery methods can make the content that was posted irreversible.
- Finsta allows a new platform for bullying.
How can you know if your teen has a Finsta account? Start by asking them. Chances are they will be impressed you know about Finsta. Have an open, honest conversations about various forms of social media. Teens also need to be aware of the reality that once something is posted, it can always reappear even after an account is deleted.