By Meta is launching and testing features to connect Instagram users with the people and groups they care about through Instagram Notes, Candid Stories, and Group Profiles, the social media giant said Tuesday.
Instagram users may now share their views with followers they follow back or anyone on their list of Close Friends by using the Notes function, which was launched on Tuesday.
According to a post by Meta, users may leave Notes by clicking on the top of their inbox and writing a fast, short note (up to 60 characters) that will show up in the inboxes of their followers for 24 hours.
Candid Stories, which appear to be Meta’s version of BeReal on Instagram, and Group Profiles, which allow close friends and groups to privately exchange information with one another, are also being tested by Meta, the parent company of both Instagram and Facebook.
Candid Stories, like BeReal, will remind users to snap a picture of what they’re doing at the time. For those who choose to upload their own Candid, the Candid Stories will appear in the Stories bar on the home page, and those who do not want to get the Candid notification can turn it off in settings.
To create Group Profiles, people can click the Plus icon and select Group Profiles to begin. Meta is also testing with Collaborative Collections, which allow you to save content on your feed to a collection that you can share with friends or groups.
Instagram has faced some criticism from users as a result of recent app updates that have made it more difficult to view what their friends have posted.
Meta suspended updates to the program earlier this year after a “Make Instagram Again” petition criticized its efforts to replicate features from competitor TikTok.
The new features show how the social media app is attempting to meet the needs of its users while also borrowing features from other popular social media apps.
