Instagram will soon test forwards, something that was never available in the main part of the app, but is a key feature on Facebook and Twitter. It was first seen on Twitter CEO Adam Mosseri’s profile by social media consultant Matt Navarra, and was later confirmed by Instagram with TechCrunch.”
“We’re exploring the ability to share posts to Feed, similar to how you can share to Stories, so people can share what resonates with them, and for original creators to be credited for their work,” a Meta spokesperson said. TechCrunch. “We plan to test this soon with a small number of people.”
A new screen describes the features as a way to recommend a post to friends and spark conversations with followers, who can reply to your post with a message. Feed forwards are “shown in a separate tab on your profile” alongside tagged posts, reels, and photos, and will be visible to followers.
Reposts have been available in Stories since 2018, but the only way to do it in feeds has been through third-party apps (hints about the feature were first spotted in May by a researcher). Alexander Paluzzi). Instagram’s arch-rival TikTok recently introduced a video forwarding feature after testing in early 2022. However, forwarded TikTok videos only appear in your friends’ “For You” feeds and not your own. profile.
Instagram has introduced a number of updates recently to help it better compete with TikTok. It recently launched a TikTok-like full-screen feed and increased the amount of recommended content you see. However, after complaints (even from celebrities), backed off and said it would phase out fullscreen mode and reduce recommended posts.
Some social media experts worry that forwards could create similar problems when sending content from strangers. “Reposting is another explicit step toward dismantling the IG you know, in favor of one that Instagram believes will be a better experience for you.” wrote Social Networks TodayIt’s Andrew Hutchinson. “The growth of BeReal shows that there is a real desire for a more authentic connection and engagement with the community, outside of the constant highlights of viral clips.”
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