Instagram is now adding the ability for users to leave comments on each other’s stories.
Previously, replying to a story sent a private DM to the person who posted the stories. But now the comments will be shown publicly for all to see, to boost engagement.
The Stories feature is limited; only the mutual friends who follow each other can leave a comment on the stories, though it disappears within 24 hours along with the comments.
Instagram spokesperson Emily Norfolk says now users will have the option to turn on and off the comments on the story they share. However, it remains unclear whether the comments will be archived after a story has expired.
It is said that the new feature was inspired by user behavior, as the Stories format is the most popular feature and is used more often than the platform’s main content feed. It is a part of Instagram’s ongoing efforts to increase engagement on the platform.
The recent feature has already been spotted by some users, including marketing strategist Taylor Loren (@taylor.loren on Threads) and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who posted a screenshot on the company’s channel.
Many say that the feature mimics Instagram’s live-streaming feature, where users leave comments for all to see.
Instagram has also announced that some likes on posts will appear as floating hearts, similar to the disappearing notes that were introduced recently.
