Instagram takes on Elon’s chaotic Twitter with new Notes feature

The rumors are true, and Instagram is launching a new feature to take on Twitter. With Instagram Notes, users can share thoughts, ask questions, or post a status right above their DM inbox. This announcement was made by Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, and comes at a time when Twitter is entirely chaotic as Elon Musk fired more than half of the company, changed how Twitter Blue works, and more.

Although Instagram Notes doesn’t look like a Twitter alternative, it’s interesting how social media has shifted from a photo-sharing app to a video, shopping, and live stream platform. Notes are short posts of up to 60 characters using text and emojis.

To leave a note, go to the top of your inbox, select the followers you follow back or people on your Close Friends list, and your message will appear at the top of their inbox for 24 hours. Replies to notes will arrive as DMs in your inbox.

Image source: Instagram

In addition, Instagram is testing a BeReal competitor called Candid. The company calls it “a new way for you and your friends to capture and share what you’re doing in a story that’s only visible to those who also share their own.”

Last but not least, apart from Instagram Notes, the app plans to add new collaborative collections and group profiles. Here’s how they’re going to work:

• Group Profiles: Soon, people will be able to create and join this new type of profile to share posts and stories in a dedicated, shared profile with friends. Whenever you share content to a Group Profile, that content will only be shared with group members instead of your followers and will be posted on the Group Profile instead of your own;
• Collaborative Collections: Instagram is testing a way for people to connect with friends over their shared interests by saving posts to a collaborative collection in your group or 1:1 DMs. You can start or add to a collaborative collection by saving a post directly from the feed or sharing a post with a friend via DM and saving it from there.

Instagram Notes is rolling out today, but it can take a while until all users can use this new feature.