Many Instagram users experience the frustration of accidentally liking posts while scrolling—whether due to sensitive touchscreens, distraction, or handing their phone to someone else. This creates social awkwardness, unintended signals, and cluttered activity logs. A solution could address these pain points by providing precise control over engagement actions.

Core Concept: Discreet Browsing Mode

One approach would be creating a temporary "safe browsing" mode that prevents accidental interactions. This could work by:

• Blocking unintended likes: Disabling both double-tap and button-based likes while active
• Offering visual feedback: Changing the UI to clearly indicate the mode is enabled
• Allowing customization: Letting users choose which actions to disable (likes/comments/shares)

Implementation Pathway

For initial testing, this could be developed as a browser extension that modifies Instagram's web interface by intercepting engagement events. A basic version might include:

1. A simple toggle to activate/deactivate the mode
2. Session memory to remember preferences
3. Minimal interface changes to avoid detection

If successful, mobile adaptations could explore using accessibility features or guided access modes, though these would need careful design to comply with platform policies.

Why This Solution Stands Out

Unlike Instagram's native tools like "Restrict" (which limits specific accounts) or device-level features like screen pinning, this approach would offer granular control tailored to Instagram's interface. It could particularly benefit those managing professional/personal boundaries or sharing devices frequently.

The concept addresses a common yet overlooked pain point in social media interaction design, starting with a lightweight implementation that could validate demand before expanding to more complex solutions.