Instagram is currently testing a new subscription service that provides paying users with access to various features, such as the capability to view another user’s stories in secret.
Additional benefits include the ability to create audience lists that go beyond the “Close Friends” option and the possibility of extending a Story’s duration by an extra 24 hours.
Instagram Stories consist of photos and videos that vanish after 24 hours, and at present, the creator can see who has viewed them.
“Our objective with these tests is to gain insights into what users find most valuable in a premium feature offering,” stated an Instagram spokesperson in a communication to Bloomberg.
TechCrunch was the first to report on this testing phase, indicating that Instagram is providing these subscriptions in Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines for approximately $1 to $2 per month.
Instagram DMs may become insecure
Earlier, Meta announced that it would disable the “end-to-end encryption” option for direct messages on Instagram as early as May 8, 2026, bringing an end to a privacy function, that has been available to users for several years.
The encryption choice was first launched in 2021 as part of Meta’s larger strategy of making its different platforms more private.
However, the company currently states the feature saw very limited use among Instagram users.
Even though the feature is being discontinued in Instagram, Meta further stated that users who wish to stay with fully encrypted messaging can still stick to WhatsApp.
Read more: Instagram DMs set to become insecure
