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Instagram Lets You Ditch Close Friends Lists
31 Jan
Summary
- Users can now remove themselves from others' Close Friends lists.
- This feature is still in early development and not yet public.
- Similar functionality exists for private stories on Snapchat.
Instagram is reportedly developing a feature that will permit users to opt out of another person's "Close Friends" list. This functionality, revealed by Meta on Friday, remains in its nascent stages and is not undergoing public testing.
The "Close Friends" feature, introduced in 2018, allows users to share Stories, Reels, and posts with a select audience. Until now, users lacked the ability to remove themselves from another individual's designated list.
This upcoming feature, first observed by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, includes a warning for users: departing a list means they will no longer view that person's "Close Friends" content unless re-added.
While this update might cause friction for some, it is expected to be a welcome addition for users seeking to manage their visibility on the platform. Competitor Snapchat already offers a comparable option for its private stories.
Instagram is also exploring other enhancements, including subscription services that grant access to exclusive features across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. These premium offerings may include unlimited audience lists, follower tracking, and private story viewing.
