Social media platform Instagram introduces a mapping feature resembling Snapchat, alongside additional upgrades; here's a rundown of the novelties.
Instagram's latest update brings three significant new additions to its platform: the Repost tool, the Instagram Map, and the Friends tab in Reels. These features aim to enhance the social and interactive experience on the platform.
Repost Tool
With the new Repost tool, users can share public Reels and posts directly to their followers' feeds, giving credit to the original creator. This feature makes content resharing easier and more visible, with reposted content appearing in a new Reposts tab on profiles. It's an excellent way for creators to reach a wider audience and for users to share content they find engaging [2][4][5].
Instagram Map
The Instagram Map is an opt-in feature that allows users to share their location with friends and favourite creators on a real-time Live Map. This map is similar to Snapchat's Snap Map but is integrated within Instagram, aiming to create a more dynamic experience of discovering content based on real-world geography. Privacy controls are built in, giving users the ability to decide who can see their locations, helping especially teens maintain control over their visibility [2][4].
Friends Tab in Reels
The Friends tab in Reels surfaces the public Reels content that your friends engage with, including what they like, comment on, and share. This feature encourages interaction around what friends enjoy watching, fostering shared discovery and conversations. Additionally, the Friends tab includes suggestions from Blends, a feature that recommends Reels based on shared tastes [2][4].
These updates mark a shift towards Instagram becoming a more interconnected network that mirrors real-world social dynamics by making resharing easier, location sharing optional but interactive, and friend-based content discovery more visible.
Other related updates include enhancements in Instagram's editing tools, longer Reels durations (up to 20 minutes), and customization options in profiles and DMs. However, the Repost tool, Instagram Map, and Friends tab remain the core components of this new social experience rollout [1][2][3][4][5].
The map is located within the DM inbox, and users can choose to hide their own activity or mute updates from specific friends. They can also block location sharing in certain places. Reposted content will be recommended to followers and friends, and the original creator is always credited when content is reposted [1].
The location-sharing feature is currently rolling out in the US, with global availability coming soon. These updates are set to make Instagram a more engaging and interactive platform for users worldwide.
Technology and social-media intertwine as the new Repost tool facilitates the sharing of public Reels and posts, giving credit to the original creator, thereby elevating entertainment experiences on Instagram. The Instagram Map, another technology-driven feature, allows users to share their location with friends on a real-time map, enhancing the platform's social dynamics and entertainment value.
