What is the new 'Liked by Friends' feature on Instagram?

The new 'Liked by Friends' feature on Instagram allows users to see the Reels (short video clips) that their friends have liked on the platform.

Why are users upset about the 'Liked by Friends' feature?

Users are upset about the 'Liked by Friends' feature because it can potentially reveal their more embarrassing or questionable interests and preferences to their social circle, which many consider to be 'invasive' and 'diabolical.'

How can Instagram users opt out of the 'Liked by Friends' feature?

Instagram users can opt out of the 'Liked by Friends' feature by navigating to their settings, scrolling down to the 'Who can see your content' section, tapping on 'Activity in Friends tab,' and changing the setting to 'No one.'

Home / Technology / Instagram's 'Invasive' Update Lets Friends See Your Reel Likes

Instagram's 'Invasive' Update Lets Friends See Your Reel Likes

6 Aug

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Summary

Instagram's new 'Friends' tab shows Reels liked by your friends
Users call the feature 'invasive' and 'diabolical' as it can reveal embarrassing interests
There is an option to opt out of the feature by changing privacy settings

Instagram's 'Invasive' Update Lets Friends See Your Reel Likes

As of 2025-08-06T15:43:41+00:00, Instagram has introduced a controversial new feature that allows users to see the Reels (short video clips) liked by their friends. This update, which has already rolled out globally, has not been well-received by many Instagram users.

Some disgruntled users have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the new 'Friends' tab, calling it "invasive" and "diabolical." The concern is that this feature can potentially reveal users' more embarrassing or questionable interests and preferences to their social circle.

One user expressed their dismay, saying, "Instagram reels having a tab that shows what your friends have liked is so awful." Another user went as far as to say, "who runs the liked by friends tab on instagram and why do they want me to die."

Fortunately, Instagram has provided a way for users to opt out of this feature. By navigating to their settings and adjusting the "Activity in Friends tab" option to "No one," they can prevent their friends from seeing the Reels they have liked.

The new update is part of Meta's (Instagram's parent company) efforts to make the platform more "participatory" and "social." However, it seems that many users feel this change has gone too far in revealing their personal preferences to their friends.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.