2.3. INSTAGRAM

Here we introduce some tools for gathering data from Instagram. Instagram's API policies can be found here.

1. CrowdTangle is the official route to public data for Instagram and Facebook at the moment:
   1. FB-owned media monitoring service that offers access to public Instagram posts also for academics. 
   2. Access is granted by an application, an affiliation to higher education institution is needed, and there are currently requirements related to the topics studied. See details here . 
   3. Note that you can only access posts in quantities, not the comments.
   4. Keyword searches not well supported, but works well if you know the accounts you wish to follow. CT offers different tools to filter and organize the data and the observe it visually.
   5. Instagram videos under 15 minutes are now classified as Reels and currently not supported in CT and the CT API. Video posts that are shorter than 15 minutes and were created after July 31st, 2022 will not be available in CT search results, live displays or email digests.
   6. Added: 18.11.2021. Verified: 16.11.2023
2. Instaloader
   • A tool to download pictures (or videos) along with their captions and other metadata from Instagram.
   • Based on R.
   • Added: 18.11.2021. Verified: (link on Feb 18, 2021)

1. AutoFetcher for Instagram stories
   • A Google Apps Script that automatically fetches the latest available IG Stories of a target Instagram user to a sheet in your Google Drive.
   • Added 16.11.2023
2. Instamancer
   • A command line tool for scraping Instagram
   • Added: 18.11.2021. Verified: ?
3. StorySaver
   • A very simple tool for downloading Instagram stories (pictures & videos), highlights or reels manually
   • Added 17.11.2022
4. 4K Stogram
   • A paid lisense for downloading Instagram stories (pictures & videos), highlights 
   • Added 16.11.2023
5. DMI Instagram scraper
   • A free tool and Graphical user interface for scraping Instagram posts, comments, photos and meta-data.
   • Created by UvA DMI initiative
   • Currently defunct (situation 16.11.2023)
6. gallery-dl is a command-line program to download image galleries and collections from several image-hosting sites
   • Added 9.2.2024.