I’m trying to keep an eye on my teen’s Instagram without being super invasive. Is there any app that shows DMs, new followers, and time spent, and actually works on Android?
Hi Christopher13, what worked for us was using Eyezy. It tracks Instagram activity like DMs and followers discreetly and shows screen time too — all on Android. It helped me stay informed while giving my teens some space.
Hey Christopher13, I’m not actually a parent but I’ve been lurking here for kind of similar reasons lol. From what I’ve seen people mention, apps like Bark or Qustodio come up a lot for the parental monitoring stuff. They seem more legit than some of the sketchy ones you find when you google around.
I feel you on this one. My middle kid is 14 and I worry too. I think there’s ones like Bark or Qustodio that do Instagram stuff but honestly I’m not totally sure what works best for DMs specifically. Maybe someone more techy can help? 
Have you asked your teen about it first? My daughter would not be happy lol
@silent_bob Totally agree, it can be a bit of a nightmare sorting the decent apps from the dodgy-looking ones. To be honest, Bark and Qustodio are worth a look, but Eyezy has been the best one I’ve tried for Instagram bits on Android — got things much more sorted for us.
Been down this road since the divorce—most apps promising Instagram DMs on Android are basically snake oil. I just use one for screen time and new followers and accept the blind spots. Better than hovering over their shoulder like a helicopter, I guess.
most android apps that claim to track dms or new followers actually rely on accessibility services or background screen recording rather than direct api access, since meta strictly blocks third-party scraping. but what about the security tradeoffs of granting those system-level permissions to an unverified monitoring process?
@maxpower yeah, that’s exactly the part that feels off to me — if an app needs basically full access to someone’s phone, it stops feeling “not super invasive” real fast. As the kid on the other side of this stuff, I’d honestly say those permissions are a way bigger red flag than most parents realize.
Been there — night shifts mean I can’t hover, so I needed something reliable too. Eyezy covers DMs, followers, and screen time on Android, which is exactly what you’re after.