Threads, Instagram’s standalone private messaging app, won’t be around much longer. By the end of December, the Threads app for iOS and Android will no longer be supported. Released in 2019, Threads was initially pushed as a “camera-first messaging app,” a laSnapchat. Some of Threads features will be brought over to the main Instagram app. The company said it will share updates about those in the coming months.
Meta, formerly known asFacebook, owns Instagram. Instagram said its research was mischaracterized, noting the app also helps teens connect with friends and family. In December,Instagram CEO Adam Mosseriappeared before Congress for the first time. That response hasn’t been enough to satisfy Instagram’s critics. A pause is not enough," Tuesday’s letter states. Instagram spokeswoman Stephanie Otway said the company had nothing to add beyond the company’s Septemberblog postabout the topic.
The app update is meant to pave the way for new safety features aimed at younger users. “We’re developing new systems to address this,” Instagram said in the post. CNET has reached out to Instagram for comment, and we’ll update when we hear back.
Instagram is also limiting how advertisers target teenagers. From cyberbullying to comparing oneself to others on the platform, Instagram has grappled with several challenges affecting teenagers. They also won’t be able to follow the accounts of teens or comment on their posts. These changes also apply to ads on Facebook and on Facebook’s messaging app Messenger. Advertisers will still be able to target teenagers based on age, gender and location.
Instagram launched Account Status in October 2021.
Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri announced the dramatic changes on Wednesday. “We’re no longer a photo-sharing app,” Mosseri said in the video announcement. Video-sharing apps are rapidly expanding, and Mosseri says Instagram aims “to lean into that trend.” Watch Mosseri’s full announcement below. Right now were focused on four key areas: Creators, Video, Shopping and Messaging.pic.twitter.com/ezFp4hfDpf
“Boomerang is still supported in-app in Stories, and Layout remains a standalone app in the Store. We’ll continue working on new ways for people to be creative and have fun on Instagram.” Before, Instagram was focused mostly on photo sharing but has expanded to include short-form video and e-commerce. Hyperlapse was limited to iOS devices, which explains its 23 million downloads. Interestingly, even as Instagram has become a one-stop shop, Boomerang was still seeing 26,000 downloads per day....
You should see the tests now or over the next couple of weeks as Instagram rolls them out. The “full experience” should be launched in the first half of the year, Mosseri said.
Last year, TikTok said it had more than1 billion monthly active users. In April, Instagram alsoreworked how it ranks contentin order to elevate original posts.
More on Instagram
The social media service owned byFacebookoutlined the checkup in ablog post on Tuesday. The post also outlined several recommendations for keeping your account secure outside of the new checkup. The picture and video sharing app recommended users enable two-factor authentication to make logging in more secure. Instagram reminded users that they don’t send direct messages and cautioned against spam pretending to be from them.
On Tuesday,Meta announced sweeping safety updatesdesigned to keep teens safe while they’re on Instagram. You might be wondering, what about teens that lie about their age? It’s a fair question. Instagram will increasingly be asking for age verification, and is working on an additional solution.
Step 2Click on Quiet ModeStep 3Push the Quiet Mode slider to the right. Your notifications will be paused and your status and autoreply will both say “In Quiet Mode. “Step 4Choose how long you want Quiet Mode on. What happens when I turn on Quiet Mode? Once the feature is turned off, you’ll get a brief summary of notifications you missed. Who is Quiet Mode for?
