Instagram has announced that users will now have the option to disable read receipts in Direct Messages (DMs). This feature allows users to control whether or not others can see if they’ve read their messages. The announcement has elicited mixed reactions from social media users.
The new feature is currently being tested and no specific details about a broader release have been disclosed yet. Users can activate or deactivate this feature in the ‘Who can see your activity’ section under Privacy and Safety settings. The setting description reads, “Others can see when you’ve read their messages. Vanish mode messages always send read receipts.”
Zuckerberg humorously commented on his Instagram Broadcast channel, “If you’re someone who leaves people on read, your day has come.” He further clarified that the company is currently experimenting with the option to disable read receipts in Instagram DMs.
The announcement was also shared by Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head, through his Instagram broadcast channel. Mosseri stated, “We’ve heard your feedback and have initiated trials for a new feature that enables you to deactivate read receipts in your DMs. Soon, users will have the choice to determine when others can see if they’ve read their messages.”
However, Mosseri did not provide any specific timeline for this change or whether it would be rolled out to all users simultaneously.
The news has been met with varied responses on social media platforms. While some users have welcomed the change, expressing relief and stating “Better late than never,” others are disappointed at the loss of the ability to track if their messages were read.
It remains unclear whether this feature will be extended to Facebook Messenger, another platform owned by Meta. WhatsApp, also owned by Meta, has offered the option to turn off read receipts since its acquisition by the company (previously Facebook) in 2014.
Meta has plans to implement default end-to-end encryption for Instagram DMs as part of its integration with Messenger. The company revealed its intentions to introduce default end-to-end encryption in Messenger by early 2024. Instagram has also introduced a ‘Quiet Mode’ to mute notifications.
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