Instagram users have been complaining for a while about the impersonal nature of the social network largely due to its algorithmic feed. The company has been trying to launch more avenues for users to share content with their friends. To that end, Instagram is now testing a feature that lets you share feed posts just with your “Close Friends” group.
In the last few days, many users — including ICYMI newsletter’s Lia Haberman — have spotted this feature.
Coming to Instagram 🔥 Close Friends feed post. It’s been spotted by someone posting in the UK
This would be one way to get people off Stories and out of DMs — create a Close Friends feed experience
h/t @jordLS pic.twitter.com/BBp0uDpJnF
— Lia Haberman (@liahaberman) September 4, 2023
you can now make posts for just your close friends on instagram?? pic.twitter.com/jeniCCbbAJ
— mac ∞ (@haileyuptn) September 1, 2023
The company confirmed to TechCrunch that it is testing this feature in a few countries, but didn’t specify which ones.
“We’re testing the ability for people in select countries to share feed posts with their Close Friends. We’re always exploring new ways for our community to express themselves and connect on Instagram,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.
If sharing feed posts with friends becomes widely available, it can reduce the need for users to have a “finsta” account (aka alternative account for just friends).
In 2018, the social network globally launched a feature to share Stories with a private list of “Close Friends.” The next year, the company tried to indulge in the idea of group chatting with Instagram’s “Close Friends” circle through an app called Threads (no, not the social network launched in July). However, the group chat app Threads was shut down in 2021 to concentrate on a better direct message experience.
Last December, Instagram launched Notes, a way to share text updates with friends. Over the last few months, the company has introduced features such as music sharing, translation and location sharing for Notes.
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