In plain English
It is a reciprocal action between two accounts. One person follows first, and then the other person chooses to follow that same person back.
In context
Here, it labels the action of beginning to follow someone who is already following you.
- Situation
- Using messages, follows, connections, groups, communities, and interaction controls
- What it communicates
- Labels the action for starting to follow someone who already follows you.
Meaning limits
The term only covers starting to follow in return, not any broader relationship between the two accounts.
Examples
“After Nina followed his account, Omar followed her back the next morning.”
“She rarely follows back strangers, even when they have already followed her.”