Why Facebook is tying its own name with Instagram
What's the story
Instagram could soon get a small, albeit very impactful, branding change. According to recent reports, the photo-sharing app is in the process of adding the name of its parent, Facebook, as part of its own. The move comes as the social network gears up to unify the underlying infrastructure of Instagram DMs and WhatsApp with that of its main 'Messenger'. Here are the details.
New branding
'Instagram from Facebook' brand spotted
Just recently, engineer Jane Manchun Wong discovered the 'Instagram from Facebook' branding while digging into the photo-sharing app. The rebranded name appeared on the settings page of the app and can be seen in the screenshot shared by Wong, who has a knack for unearthing features in social media services. Prior to this, she had also revealed Twitter's upcoming subscription and moderation features.
Twitter Post
Here's the 'Instagram from Facebook' message
Instagram will have a new branding called "Instagram from Facebook pic.twitter.com/deg5X0B1iO
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) March 29, 2019
Confirmed
Facebook says name change is only for 'some screens'
Following Wong's discovery, Bloomberg's Sarah Frier confirmed the development from Facebook. "We're testing a 'from Facebook' message on some screens in our apps to show people they are offered by Facebook," a company spokesperson said, emphasizing they're just adding some language and not re-branding the products completely. This suggests WhatsApp may also get the 'from Facebook' moniker, maybe somewhere in the app info section.
Impact
What this change could mean for Facebook and Instagram
Tying its own name with Instagram would definitely ensure transparency as many users didn't even know that Instagram and WhatsApp are Facebook products. However, keeping the two brands separate has also proven beneficial; both Instagram and WhatsApp have grown wonderfully outside the shadow of Facebook, which has been marred by breaches and leaks. Now, with Facebook's name included, this could change.
Unification
Also, the change hints at impending Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger unification
The name change also comes as Mark Zuckerberg continues to push for the unification of the underlying infrastructure of Facebook Messenger with WhatsApp and Instagram DMs. As part of this change, all three products will continue to operate separately but gain each other's features - including end-to-end encryption - allowing for cross-platform messaging. However, the exact 'unification' timeline still remains unclear.