Instagram Unblocking: What Happens to Likes and Comments When You Re-Follow

In the digital ecosystem of social media, one common question that frequently arises is what happens to likes and comments when you unblock someone on Instagram and they re-follow you. Does their previous engagement reappear, or do you have to start from scratch? In this article, we will explore the nuances of Instagram's behavior when it comes to unblocking and re-following, addressing these concerns with clarity and insight.

Understanding Engagement after Re-Follow

When you unblock someone on Instagram and they re-follow you, their previous likes on your posts do not automatically reappear. Instagram deliberately chooses not to restore likes from users who were previously blocked. As a result, you would need to manually check the likes section on your posts to determine if they have liked them again after re-following you.

If they did not unlike the posts, the likes should still be visible. The engagement, however, may not be reflected in the most recent timestamp, which may show the original timestamp of their like rather than the time it was re-activated after unblocking. This is a deliberate choice by Instagram to maintain transparency and trust in the platform.

Comments and Data Erosion

It is important to note that re-blocking and unblocking a user also affects their comments on your posts. If you unblock them and they re-follow, any previous comments they made will disappear. This means you cannot restore those comments if the user deletes them before re-following you. Hence, once the comments are deleted, they are likely lost forever unless the user decides to comment on your posts again.

Similarly, if someone blocks you, all of your data is effectively erased. Once the person unblocks you, your data will start over from the beginning, meaning any likes and comments from before the block will no longer be visible. It's a round-robin reset that can be inconvenient but serves as a way for the platform to ensure fairness and engagement.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

When you unblock someone on Instagram and they re-follow, their previous likes will only reappear if they have not unliked the posts and if they decide to like them again after re-following you. This behavior helps maintain the integrity of the platform and ensures a fresh start for users, rather than restoring previous interactions.

It's crucial to understand that comments and data associated with previous interactions will be lost if the user deletes their comments before re-following you. This highlights the importance of timely engagement and communication on social media platforms.