Instagram will soon give users the option to leave 'Close Friends' lists, leaks reveal

Instagram users may soon have the ability to remove themselves from someone else's 'Close Friends' list. According to reports, the social media platform is working on this feature, which is currently in the development stage and has not yet been launched for testing. According to a TechCrunch report, reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi shared screenshots of this new feature on social media, showing how users will be able to use it.

What happens when you leave a Close Friends list?

When a user decides to leave someone's Close Friends list, they will be warned that they will no longer be able to see that person's Close Friends stories and reels. If they want to see them again, they will have to be added back to the list. This feature will be helpful for users who don't want to see someone's private stories or reels. However, this option might also cause some inconvenience for some users, as leaving the list will send a message to the list creator that someone doesn't want to see their content.

Why was the Close Friends feature launched in the first place?

Instagram's Close Friends feature was launched in 2018. This feature allows users to share their stories, reels, and posts only with selected people. Under this feature, users can add their preferred followers to the Close Friends list, but until now, users have the option to remove themselves from someone else's list. This new feature will give users more control over their privacy and content consumption. This move by Instagram is similar to a feature on Snapchat, which already allows users to remove themselves from 'Best Friends' lists.

What are Meta's plans for paid subscriptions and AI?

In addition, Meta is also testing paid subscription services across its other apps, such as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Meta says these subscriptions will provide exclusive access to creativity, productivity, and AI tools, while basic services will remain free for everyone. Meta recently acquired an AI agent called Manus for $2 billion and plans to integrate it directly into its apps.