As TikTok's demise approaches, Instagram adds two new features to its short video feature 'Reels'
The end of TikTok's service in the United States
Instagram will show your friends what Reels you've liked - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/17/24345840/instagram-reels-friends-liked-tab
Instagram just gave Reels two new features ahead of imminent TikTok ban - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/01/17/instagram-just-gave-reels-two-new-features-ahead-of-imminent-tiktok-ban/
Adam Mosseri , head of Instagram, updated his Instagram account and announced new features for Reels. Mosseri said about the new Reels feature, 'Invite your friends to the Reels tab. We want Instagram to be not just a place to consume interesting content, but a place to connect with friends through that content. When you open the Reels tab, you'll see a dedicated feed in the top right where you can see the Reels your friends have liked and the Reels you've added notes to, and you can start a conversation with your friends from there. We'll start by rolling this out in a few countries, and we'll roll it out to other countries soon.'
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This will add a new tab to your Reels feed where you can see which friends have liked your videos and which videos have notes added to them. In other words, you will be able to see which friends have liked your videos.
Regarding the new feature, technology media The Verge points out that 'this is like a revival of the 'Activity' feed that Instagram discontinued in 2019. '
He added, 'It's unclear what benefit or insight your friends would gain from knowing that you've liked every single Shohei Ohtani post that appears in your feed.' 'Probably, given that the old 'Activity' feed has disappeared, many users probably don't actually want their friends to know which videos they've liked.'
The Verge also noted that some users may refrain from engaging with content to avoid being seen by their friends. 'Being friends with someone doesn't necessarily mean you share the same interests or hobbies, so TikTok's hyper-personalized nature may be what makes the TikTok experience interesting for many users,' the company wrote.
Twitter (formerly Twitter) took the opposite route by making users' likes private, a change that allows users to like whatever posts they like. Meanwhile, Mosseri did not answer whether users would be able to opt out of seeing their activity in the new Reels feed.
X (formerly Twitter) makes the 'Like' column private, as anyone can see what you 'liked' to encourage wrong behavior - GIGAZINE
The Verge writes, 'Reels' new features may stir up drama and draw some users to Reels, but they could backfire for those who don't want all their interests exposed.'
