I've noticed that there are sites like Goonview that claim to let you access both public and private Instagram profiles without notifying the account owner or requiring you to follow them. I know that Instagram's official APIs require permission from the account owner to access their information. There used to be a way to view stories through a specific URL that returned JSON data, but it seems that endpoint is gone now. Initially, I thought these services might be using headless browsers like Puppeteer to log in, but when I checked my own account through Goonview, I didn't see any evidence of my profile being added to the story viewer list. So, how exactly do these services work?
3 Answers
Honestly, there's no legitimate way to view private profiles without their approval. If someone claims they can, it's likely a scam or they’re not being truthful.
From what I've gathered, Goonview is pretty sketchy. I actually came across some warnings that it's potentially a scam site, and users should exercise caution before trying it out.
I totally get your concern! I've seen claims like this before, but often it's just a gimmick or even malicious software. Be careful!
I tried it and it seemed okay, but I'd still be cautious about what info I share!