Instagram gets interesting new features on its 10th birthday
Instagram, the popular photo-sharing platform under the umbrella of Facebook, has turned 10 years old. On the occasion, the service, which just saw a major messaging overhaul with the tie-up with Messenger, is getting a bunch of improvements, including a few handy features focused on user well-being and personalization. Here's all you need to know about them.
Story Map to revisit your favorite moments
Firstly, the platform is getting Story Map, a feature that would let you revisit your favorite Stories from the past three years. It would give you a calendar to revisit Stories by the day as well as a map to browse by location. This will make the sharing of precious memories easier and serve as a companion to the already-existing 'Story Highlights' feature.
Automatic hiding of reported comments
Next, to prevent bullying on the service, Instagram will automatically hide comments that have been reported as abusive or demeaning by other users. The capability will first be tested and then expanded to a larger set of users, although it must be noted that the hidden comments would remain viewable under the "View Hidden Comments" label should people choose to see them.
Nudge for offensive comments
Instagram is also expanding its AI-powered warnings to target repeat offenders of its hate speech rules. Under this, the platform will show a prompt that would tell users - who have made it a habit to post hateful comments - to reflect on the words used in the comment they are about to share and the possible consequences of it (including account deletion).
Plus, there is icon customization as well
Finally, you can also choose a custom logo for the Instagram app. The service is giving its Android and iOS users a dedicated icon pack, with several choices, including classic Instagram logos as well as new colored options in orange, yellow, green, purple, black, white, and more. There is also a rainbow-colored Pride Instagram logo and an all-black version.
