Instagram is now rolling out a new feature that makes it easier for users to see what their friends have liked on the platform. The top-right corner of the Reels tab features a “Friends” section with profile photos and pink hearts, allowing users to browse Reels their friends have recently liked by tapping on it. Additionally, users can tap their friend’s profile photo in any Reel to send a reaction via direct messages.
The new feature is part of Instagram’s effort to move away from the “Following” feed, which was dropped five years ago. The “Following” feed showed users who they followed, posts they liked, and comments they made, but it got messy real quick. Instead, engagement has become the focus on Instagram, with users now able to see if a friend liked a post or Reel in one place.
Instagram Head Adam Mosseri emphasizes the importance of exploration and social interaction on the platform, stating “we want Instagram to be not just a lean-back experience but a participatory one.” This approach differs from rival platforms like X, which removed its feature allowing users to see what content their friends were liking in June 2024.
TikTok’s recent outage in the US has also influenced Instagram’s decision. With TikTok’s expanded video length now at three minutes and later reaching up to 15 minutes, Instagram is doubling its previous Reels limit of 90 seconds to three minutes. Mosseri attributes this change to feedback from influencers and creators who found the original limit “just too short.”
Source: https://uk.pcmag.com/social-media/156352