[Answered ]-Python: String variable is unrecognized in JSON, but hardcoded string works (Instagram API)

If you want to compare with the username, you should do that, rather than comparing with the string representation of the User object; they may be the same, but they probably aren’t.

ig_username = user.username

Also, not related to your problem but you should really use the Instagram Python library, which makes this sort of thing a bit easier.