Instagram DM automation rules in plain language: what's allowed, what gets you banned

DM automation lives inside Meta's rules or it doesn't live long. Here is what the policies actually say, in plain language.

The person always moves first

Automation may respond to a comment, a DM, a story reply, or a button tap. It may never start a conversation. Purchased lists, scraped usernames, "mass DM" tools: all of it violates platform policy, and Meta's enforcement has gotten very good. chatlasso has no cold outreach feature by design, so there is nothing to misuse.

The 24-hour window

Once someone messages you, you have a standard messaging window to respond with normal content. Automation that replies instantly (like a comment-to-DM flow) lives comfortably inside it; that's the point of automating the reply.

Official API or nothing

Tools that automate through the Instagram app itself (screen tapping, session cookies, headless phones) violate the terms outright and are the ones behind most "my account got restricted" stories. chatlasso connects through Instagram's official OAuth and messaging API, with the permissions Meta grants for exactly this use case.

One account, one home

An Instagram account can only be connected to one chatlasso workspace, ever. Attempting to connect an account that lives in another workspace suspends the offender automatically. It protects creators from hijacking, and it keeps the platform's trust.

The short version

Reply, don't broadcast. Deliver what was asked for. Use the official rails. Automation that respects the person on the other end is automation that lasts.