How to preserve Instagram account data and request disclosure before it’s too late
When false allegations are sent from an anonymous social media account, the damage can be instant and irreversible. In this case study, our client, Adam (not his real name), faced a devastating smear campaign on Instagram that led to the breakdown of his long-term relationship, and how missing a short deadline for Instagram account deletion meant the opportunity to unmask the person responsible was lost.
How anonymous Instagram messages ended a serious relationship
The 30-day deadline: how fast you need to act for Instagram data
Why a preservation request is your fastest first step for Instagram disclosure
Can you still get disclosure after Instagram deletes the data
What to do if you get anonymous defamation on Instagram
How anonymous Instagram messages ended a serious relationship
Adam had been in a committed relationship for over a year and was planning to get engaged. Then one evening, his partner received direct messages on Instagram from an anonymous account with no profile photo, no followers, and a suspicious username: @siii4321.
The messages claimed that Adam had been seeing the sender for the past seven months. When asked for proof, the sender claimed to have deleted everything. Yet the messages included just enough personal detail - some correct, some fabricated - to create doubt and suspicion. Within days, Adam’s relationship had ended. The account vanished shortly after the last message, but Adam had already lost what mattered most to him.
The 30-day deadline: how fast you need to act for Instagram data
When Adam contacted our firm, we explained that every day mattered. Instagram, like many social media platforms, only retains data from deleted accounts for a limited period -often around 30 days. That includes key details like login IP addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and device data.
We immediately drafted and sent a legal preservation request to Instagram. This is the very first step we advise in these cases, as it asks the platform to retain all available data before a Norwich Pharmacal Order (NPO) is prepared. An NPO is a court order that can compel companies like Instagram to disclose identifying information about users.
Unfortunately, Instagram responded 32 days after the account had been deleted, by which point the account data had already been purged. We believe the delay may have been due to a time zone difference between the UK and Meta’s legal team overseas - a detail that can make all the difference when you’re dealing with a deletion clock that starts ticking the moment a user deletes an account. Had the preservation request reached them even a day earlier, it’s possible the data might still have been available.
Why a preservation request is your fastest first step for Instagram disclosure
When it comes to account preservations and disclosure applications, we always advise clients to act without hesitation. Even if you’re unsure about proceeding with full legal action, requesting data preservation is something we can do almost immediately.
It can make the difference between knowing the identity of a harasser or never having the chance to find out. There is a formal process available through the courts to obtain a preservation order, but in many cases, a letter to Meta with a request to preserve data will achieve the same outcome.
While this type of request is not a court-issued order, it is almost always effective - provided it is sent in time. Timing is crucial, and you must be aware that delays -even due to time zone differences- can mean the request is read too late.
In Adam’s case, our communication was read by Meta 32 days after the account had been deleted, and by then the data had already been purged.
Can you still get disclosure after Instagram deletes the data
Sadly, the answer is no. Once an Instagram account is deleted by Meta, it becomes nearly impossible to recover the deleted data. As a matter of policy, Meta will decline your disclosure request on the basis that they no longer possess the data.
In our case, Adam still wanted to clear his name with his ex-partner. She had blocked him on every platform, so the best we could do for him in the circumstances was to write to his ex-girlfriend with a professional letter explaining the steps Adam had taken, the legal action we had initiated, and why timing had worked against him.
Despite our efforts, she chose not to reopen the matter. However, Adam found closure, knowing that he had acted honourably and had exhausted all legal options.
What to do if you get anonymous defamation on Instagram
If you’ve received anonymous messages on Instagram that defame or harass you, the most important thing to remember is this: do not delay. You do not need to have all the answers right away. A legal preservation request can be made quickly and can secure the data you may need later.
One of the main challenges is the internal delay on the part of Meta, which means that even if you act promptly, their slow response times could result in critical data being lost. By the time you speak to a solicitor and take action, most of the 30-day data retention window might already have passed.
Once the account is deleted and the data purged, no legal order can bring it back. Disclosure orders like the Norwich Pharmacal Order are powerful tools, but they are only useful if the data still exists. This is why timing is everything.
Lawyers’ thoughts on the case
This case highlights how fragile and time-sensitive digital evidence can be. We see cases where a single day’s delay could cost a client the chance to take effective legal action, or in this case, restore his relationship which had been ruined by a catfish who made false claims to his girlfriend via Instagram.
Often, it’s the smallest details like when a preservation email is read in California versus when it was sent in London- that determine whether evidence survives. Our job is to act fast and advise clearly.
In Adam’s case, we acted immediately, but the delay on Instagram’s side was enough to close the door. Our advice to anyone in a similar situation: let us make that first move for you. A preservation request could buy you the time you need to decide your next steps but without it, you may never get the chance.