Instagram is working on a new option that could give users more control over what they see and who they are connected to on the platform.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has confirmed that it is developing a feature that would allow people to remove themselves from someone else’s Close Friends list. The company told TechCrunch on Friday that the idea is still at an early stage and is not being tested with the public yet.
The Close Friends feature was introduced in 2018. It lets users share Stories, Reels and posts with a smaller group of people instead of all their followers. Until now, only the account owner could decide who stays on that list. Users had no way to leave a Close Friends list on their own.
The new option came to light after it was spotted by Alessandro Paluzzi, a well known reverse engineer who often finds features before they are officially announced. He shared screenshots of an internal version of the tool that shows how it may work.
According to those images, Instagram will warn users before they leave a Close Friends list. It will clearly state that once they remove themselves, they will no longer be able to see that person’s Close Friends content unless they are added again later.
The change could be awkward for some. Being removed from a Close Friends list might feel personal. Still, many users are likely to welcome the option. Some people may not feel comfortable being part of certain private circles and would prefer a quiet way out.
Instagram’s rival Snapchat already offers something similar. Snapchat users can remove themselves from someone’s private story, which works in much the same way as Close Friends.
As with many features that are tested internally, it is not clear if or when Instagram will release this option more widely.
At the same time, Meta is also exploring other changes across its apps. Earlier this week, the company said it plans to test paid subscriptions on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. These subscriptions would offer access to extra tools while keeping the main apps free to use.
Paluzzi has suggested that a premium Instagram subscription could include features such as unlimited audience lists, tools to see which followers do not follow back, and the ability to view Stories without alerting the person who posted them.
Meta says its aim is to give users more choice and control over how they share and connect online. It is also testing different ideas, which suggests the final shape of these features may still change.
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