Instagram is rolling out several new features for users globally. The Meta-owned social media platform announced three new features for Notes to make it easier to post new posts and connect with friends. It has also introduced a Limit Interactions feature that allows users to not receive messages, comments, and tags from followers who are not added as close friends. The platform said this feature was designed to keep teenagers safe from potential abusers and harassers. Notably, Threads also received a TweetDeck-styled view for its desktop app.
Instagram Rolls Out New Features for Notes
The Notes feature was launched in December 2022 on Instagram as a new way to share thoughts with friends. The feature exists in the Direct Messages (DM) section on top of all the messages. Users can post their own short messages and read messages from their friends in this section.
On Thursday, the social media platform added three new ways for people to interact with the feature. The first is the Notes Prompt. Users will see questions and musings posted when they enter Notes, and they can post their Notes as a response to the questions. Instagram is also rolling out quick Likes for Notes. Users will be able to quickly react to their friends and followers’ notes with likes by double-tapping the note.
Finally, users can now tag followers in notes by using the ‘@’ symbol before their username. Users who get mentioned in a Note will also get a notification of the same which they can tap to directly respond to it. Instagram says these new ways of interaction will make it “easier for you to express yourself, spark conversations, and connect with friends!”
Limit Interactions Feature on Instagram
The social media platform has also introduced a safety feature to protect users from instances of potential bullying and trolling. Dubbed Limit Interactions, this feature will allow users to not get DMs, post comments, or tags from certain users. This feature can be set for a temporary period between one day and up to four weeks.
Users can either limit their interactions to Close Friends or just pause them for recent followers and accounts that do not follow them. Highlighting the feature in a post, Instagram Head Adam Mosseri said it can help a football player who has just missed a penalty kick avoid harassment or protect a teenager from online bullies.
To activate the feature, users will have to go to Settings and activity > Limit Interactions. There, users will find options to choose whether the above-mentioned will be limited or just new comments on posts and chats will be hidden from them, who to limit, and the duration.