Instagram copies Snapchat feature of screenshot alerts

It’s set to become even harder to secretly ‘stalk’ someone on Instagram. 

The Facebook-owned app has begun testing a feature that lets your followers know if you’ve taken a sneaky screenshot of their Story.

The Snapchat-inspired feature is expected to launch on the picture-sharing platform soon and is currently being trialled in Japan.

It follows news that Instagram has launched a tool that lets your followers to know exactly how long you’ve spent on the app. 

Instagram is launching a feature that alerts users when their story has been screenshotted by somebody else. There is some leeway as the first offence only triggers a warning

The app will warn users if their screenshot of a Story will result in a potentially embarrassing notification. 

Users will get one free screenshot, and then they will see a warning that any further pictures will send a notification.

Instagram already sends a notification when a screenshot is taken of a private message.

The Facebook-owned app has seen a number of recent changes to how it works. 

Facebook owns both Instagram and Whatsapp, and users have seen a greater integration between the three social media platforms lately. 

Earlier this month, Instagram allowed users to post their pictures directly through to their WhatsApp status at the touch of a button.

A spokesperson said in a previous statement: ‘We are always testing ways to improve the experience on Instagram and make it easier to share any moment with the people who matter to you.’  

As well as the screenshot war, Instagram also announced that it will be featuring an option called ‘type’.

Instagram first saw the introduction of screenshots back in November 2016 when private, disappearing messages would trigger a screenshot notification.  Now a similar function will be coming to Instagram stories 

Instagram first saw the introduction of screenshots back in November 2016 when private, disappearing messages would trigger a screenshot notification.  Now a similar function will be coming to Instagram stories 

Instagram users will be able to post text on their story in four new fonts - Strong, Modern, Typewriter and Neon as well as there being a new screenshot update on stories 

Instagram users will be able to post text on their story in four new fonts – Strong, Modern, Typewriter and Neon as well as there being a new screenshot update on stories 

To compliment the plethora of pictures, users will be able to add text in four new fonts to their story. 

The four fonts are called: Neon, Typewriter, Strong and Modern. 

Once the app launches, users will find the ‘type’ option alongside ‘boomerang’,  ‘live’ and other features. 

The font colour can be changed and the background can also be customised.   

The app has also quietly introduced a new feature called ‘Last Active’ that shows friends the last time you logged on to the app. 

The default setting for the app is ‘on’ – meaning your closest friends can know exactly when you’ve been scrolling through their feeds.

The unnerving feature appears on Instagram’s direct messages section beneath followers you’ve been chatting with.

NEW INSTAGRAM FONTS

Instagram is expected to launch a new feature which will allow users to change the font of their text on stories.

WABetainfo reported that some users, mainly in Japan, have the option in the Instagram story function.

Once the camera has been launched, the type option will appear at the bottom of the screen between ‘live’ and ‘normal’. 

After typing the text the font and background colour can be customised. 

In iOS there are four total font options: Neon, Typewriter, Strong and Modern.

Instagram is also trialling a feature that allows users to write captions on their stories in different fonts and colours - it is being trialled mainly in Japan

Instagram is also trialling a feature that allows users to write captions on their stories in different fonts and colours – it is being trialled mainly in Japan

INSPIRATION FROM SNAPCHAT 

In November of 2016 Instagram announced that users would have the ability to send direct ‘disappearing’ messages to other users. 

At the same time they also installed a feature which sent a notification to users when their private message was screenshotted – one of Snapchat’s stalwart features. 

In November 2017 – Instagram copied Snapchat yet again as they allowed users to post old pictures from their device to their story.

Labelled as the Instagram Archive stories can be saved, viewed and re-uploaded and bears a striking resemblance to the Snapchat Memories feature, launched nearly 18 months ago, in July 2016.



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