Instagram launches Instants for authentic photo sharing

Instagram is rolling out a new feature called "Instants" globally, designed for sharing authentic, disappearing photos with close friends or mutual followers. This ephemeral content feature, which cannot be edited or uploaded from the camera roll, aims to bring back the casual, real-life snapshot sharing that characterized the platform's early days. While borrowing concepts from apps like Snapchat and BeReal, Instagram's move may face challenges as users already utilize Stories for informal updates and the popularity of BeReal has waned. The company is also testing Instants as a standalone application in select international markets.