Answer first
Start with a timestamped Instagram transcript, then separate mechanical cleanup from interpretation. Fix obvious spacing and punctuation, but preserve unclear words, speaker uncertainty, and the source moment needed to recheck a quote.
Keep two layers
- Raw layer: save the first transcript exactly as produced, including timestamps and uncertain fragments.
- Readable layer: correct line breaks and punctuation while linking every edit back to the raw timestamp.
What to clean safely
- Repeated spaces, broken line wraps, and inconsistent timestamp formatting.
- Paragraph breaks that make a continuous sentence hard to read.
- Obvious punctuation changes that do not alter the spoken words.
What not to silently “fix”
- Names, numbers, dates, quotations, or technical terms.
- Speaker identity when voices overlap or the source is ambiguous.
- Words that are inferred from context rather than heard clearly.
Archive checklist
Record the source URL, access date, transcript version, export format, and the timestamps for important claims. If you replace a word after checking the audio, keep a note of the original and why it changed.