Instagram’s New Friends Tab: What It Is, and How to Lock Down Your Privacy

Instagram keeps updating its features every once in a while to provide value and stay relevant to the ever-changing behavior of the user. It has now introduced a new feature named Friends Tab. The primary purpose of the Friends Tab is to provide a personalized experience and enhance social connections. However, we need to determine whether this feature is a backdoor to privacy concerns or a breakthrough enhancement.

What is Friends Tab?

The Friends Tab appears at the top of Reels, on the right side of the screen. It shows the reels that your friends have interacted with. The main goal of Instagram behind the launch of this new feature is to make the app feel intimate and more like a real social circle, rather than a passive scrolling app.

Merits and Demerits of the Friends Tab

Like everything else, this new feature has its pros and cons, let’s uncover them.

Pros	Cons
Offers relevant content, instead of random algorithm-pushed suggestions	Compromises privacy by letting your friends see the content you are engaging with.
Boosts real social connections based on likes and preferences.	Feels like extra clutter on the already busy screen.
Provides the benefit of personalization by letting you mute unwanted friends or hide your activity	Minimizes the content discovery by limiting it to your friend circle.
Helps the creators reach a larger crowd.	Imposes fear of judgment since your friends can see your activity.

No matter what you think of Instagram’s new Friends Tab, it is indeed a smart platform enhancement to stay competitive in the constantly evolving social media landscape. It also offers you a chance to connect with your friends through content, instead of spending hours on mindless browsing.