Instagram is sending out warnings to people using screenshot or screen recording capabilities in order to capture other people’s Stories.
The Facebook-owned firm is notifying some users their next screenshot attempt will result in the original poster being informed.
The ephemeral Stories are designed to self-destruct after 24 hours, which encourages many users to save them for posterity.
However, under the new system, posters browsing their Stories to see the users who viewed the post will also see a sun-like icon to indicate which of those viewers took a screenshot.
The new feature is currently being tested on a small section of the community and hasn’t fully rolled out, according to WABetaInfo (via Independent)
Some of those already able to use the feature have taken to Twitter to serve-up proof of its existence.
Good bye freedom to screenshot IG stories. ? Thank you, Instagram for the warning. pic.twitter.com/y0pEaVR0Jq
— mulan (@__cajb) February 8, 2018
who gave you this horrible idea? @instagram pic.twitter.com/W97knOXS2O
— m (@iamwithjb) February 7, 2018
Screenshot notif in IG story is real! ?? #instagram #screenshotnomore pic.twitter.com/vrHRemKq23
— Jochebed Din Castro (@iam_joyfulness) February 9, 2018
Facebook, as it has done since launching Stories in the the first place, is taking a page from Snapchat’s playbook here.
During the early days when Snapchat was used for the sole purpose of exchanging nudes between two people, screenshot notifications were designed as a deterrent.
Instagram users could soon follow that mantle and choose to block those users who decide to take screenshots of their Stories.
Of course, given the feature is still in beta, Instagram may decide never to roll it out and the world can carry on saving sexy snaps on their phone for future… erm… reference.
Is this a prudent move from Instagram? Or is it overkill? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.