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Instagram is cluttering up our feeds again as the app expands its Notes feature directly to grid posts and Reels. Why? Because apparently commenting on posts isn’t enough.
Now users can add tiny floating Notes bubbles, which disappear in three days unless deleted, on top of videos and photos. The somewhat hidden Notes appear above comment sections and have a customizable audience. Users can choose who can see their Notes on posts — like only their Close Friends or followers that follow them back — which means the feature is well suited for those inside jokes or personal opinions you may not want to appear on public comment sections.
But this also means that others can post Notes on your posts (and even tag their friends or hold conversations) without the poster’s knowledge, the Verge reported.
Credit: Screenshot / Instagram
Instagram Notes were first introduced in 2022 as a way to encourage users to interact with their friends and followers beyond posts and stories, and to match the blueprint of Myspace and AIM away messages. Traditional Notes appear at the top of your chat log and disappear in 24 hours.
The feature was slow to gain hype among users, however, with the latest update prompting concern among some. Several accounts on Twitter have reported the surfacing of both consensual and nonconsensual pornographic Reels on their timelines, allegedly because posts with added Notes are getting an early launch algorithmic boost. Others have reported more content from strangers appearing on their feeds, most likely because they have unseen connections with other followers or commenters.
Just last month, a Wall Street Journal investigation found that the app was still recommending sexual content to minors via Reels, despite content control limits.
For users at large, such highly incentivized private engagement has others concerned about the feature’s potential for online harassment or cyber bulling.
Earlier this year, Instagram expanded Notes with new music features and later added the ability to reply to Notes with follower prompts — both bids to get more users engaging with the feature.
How to use new Notes on Reels
Click on the airplane icon on the bottom left corner of the post.
Tap “Add Note” in the bottom left corner.
Type your Note. Manage audience preferences by selecting the drop down arrow next to “Share with.”
Hit share.
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Instagram is tripling down on its Notes feature, adding a disappearing version of the feature directly to users’ grid posts and Reels.
