Instagram has removed its one of app sections, “Following” which was referred to by many users as a “stalker” tool.
The “Following” tab was a section that existed within the “Activity” tab which enables users to see how people they’re following were engaging with Instagram content.
The Following tab includes which comments and posts were recently liked by people you’re following similar to the “Activity” tab.
The “Following” tab also tacks when someone you’re following started following other users. Virtually all activity of users you’re following could found in that section. But, this section doesn’t track comments left on other users’ content.
Instagram users were using this feature since 2011, but a spokesperson (Product Head) tells Buzzfeed News that it wasn’t broadly used because many people weren’t aware of it:
“People didn’t always know that their activity is surfacing. So you have a case where it’s not serving the use case you built it for, but it’s also causing people to be surprised when their activity is showing up.”
This appears to be a server-side change, meaning it has rolled out without the need for an app update. So those who may have been hoping to keep the ‘Following’ tab by avoiding app updates are out of luck.
This update appears to be a server-side change, so those users who may have been hoping to keep the “Following” tab by avoiding app updates are out of luck.
