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  "path": "/tech/instagram-instants-release",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-18T07:27:13.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "pic.twitter.com/hLIwjGOvnB",
    "May 14, 2026",
    "Instagram",
    "Googlebook is a brand-new type of AI-packed laptop",
    "Spotify users outraged with 'ugly' and 'weird' 20th anniversary logo",
    "Spotify's 20 Years feature was SO popular, it brought down the app",
    "Best VPN deals",
    "End-to-end encryption has been ditched from the one-on-one messaging service",
    "was quietly announced back in March",
    "the online Help Pages",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter",
    "@taarafilms"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\n\nInstagram users are _very_ unhappy with its latest feature.\n\nThe Meta-owned social media app has just introduced Instagram Instants — a new way to share quick, in-the-moment photos with friends, similar to other platforms like Snapchat or BeReal.\n\nPhotos disappear after they’re opened or after 24 hours, making the experience feel more casual, authentic, and pressure-free. With no editing tools before posting, Instants encourages you to capture and share real-life moments as they happen.\n\nTo send or scroll through the photos your friends have posted, you'll need to navigate to the message section of the app. From there, you'll find a new tab in the bottom right corner with a preview of a cluster of images.\n\nYou can send emojis to react to the posts or reply to them with a direct message.\n\nHowever, users haven't given glowing reviews, with many of them saying they've accidentally posted photos or have deleted their app altogether.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nOne user wrote on X: \"Tried to use the new ig instant feature and accidentally posted a picture of me on the toilet.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n> tried to use the new ig instant feature and accidentally posted a picture of me on the toilet pic.twitter.com/hLIwjGOvnB\n>\n> — টaara | WHY CANT I TWEET (@taarafilms) May 14, 2026\n\nWhen you take a photo using the new feature, it uploads automatically. This has caused many users to upload posts unintentionally.\n\nAn Instagram user wrote: \"Took some abysmal photos of myself [because] I didn't know they automatically uploaded and a friend told me she saw them, so mortified.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n> from Instagram\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n> from Instagram\n\nPlease write at least 2 paragraphs\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIf you're feeling similarly about this latest feature, don't fret. You can take the following steps to have it toggled off:\n\n  1. Open Instagram\n  2. Go to your profile\n  3. Tap the three-line menu in the top-right corner\n  4. Select **Settings and activity**\n  5. Tap **Content preferences**\n  6. Turn on **Hide Instants in Inbox**\n\n\n\nThis removes Instants from your inbox so you won’t see or receive them. You can also temporarily hide them by pressing and holding the Instants stack in your DMs and swiping right.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * **Googlebook is a brand-new type of AI-packed laptop**\n  * Spotify users outraged with 'ugly' and 'weird' 20th anniversary logo\n  * **Spotify's 20 Years feature was SO popular, it brought down the app**\n  * **Best VPN deals**\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThis isn't the only new shakeup Instagram has experienced lately.\n\nEnd-to-end encryption has been ditched from the one-on-one messaging service built into Instagram from today (May 8, 2026) in one of the biggest shake-ups to its social media service in years.\n\nThe decision to remove encryption — allowing parent company Meta, which also owns WhatsApp and Facebook, to see _what_ is being sent via its messaging service — **was quietly announced back in March** via **the online Help Pages** resources for Instagram. However, there was no formal announcement about the U-turn on encryption.\n\nWith end-to-end encryption gone, Meta will be able to search, scan, or read _any_ text messages, pictures, videos, or voice notes sent via its messaging service. Starting from today, Instagram users will only be shielded by standard encryption, which does not prevent Meta from accessing their private messages.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Instagram releases Instants, but users claim latest bid to compete with Snapchat is 'worst feature' yet"
}