Instagram adds new photo sharing feature
13 Dec 2013
Instagram has added a new feature that allows users to share photos and videos with up to 15 people rather than everyone who followed them, AP reports.
Dubbed Instagram Direct, the feature is available for Apple and Android phones, according to CEO Kevin Systrom, who spoke at a news event in New York City. Users could choose up to 15 people who followed them on the popular photo-sharing app for sharing photos or videos.
Earlier, the only way content could be shared on Instagram was to post it to one's feed, which could be either visible to everyone or locked so only people one approved could see it.
According to Systrom, the reason for the 15-recipient limit was to make the feature about "moments you share with friends" and "not about spamming everyone you know."
To use Instagram Direct, users need to download the latest update to the app and upload or snap a photo the way one normally would. Once one was through applying old-school filters, tagging one's buddies and adding a caption if one wished, an option would become available to either share with "followers" or "direct." Tapping the latter would bring up suggested followers to send the photo to, or let one pick from one's list of followers.
The feature was similar to Snapchat that automatically destroys images after a certain duration and was considered by many to be used for sending explicit pictures according to Fox News.
Fox News reported the new feature comes after the company hired Snapchat executive Emily White as its new COO.
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