- Instagram will allow users to disable reading receipts in DMs.
- Users can toggle this feature on or off in their privacy and safety settings.
- Social media users have mixed reactions to the announcement.
Instagram plans to offer the choice to disable read receipts in DMs, with Meta owner Mark Zuckerberg confirming the announcement. “If you’re someone who leaves people on hold, your day has come.”
This implies that Instagram recipients won’t know if you’ve read their messages, as the ‘seen’ label will be removed from read messages. Instagram is currently testing this feature and hasn’t revealed any details about a wider release.
Social media users have varied reactions to Instagram’s announcement—some applaud it as a necessary addition, while others find it unremarkable.
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, and Adam Mosseri, Instagram‘s head, revealed the upcoming changes through their respective Instagram broadcast channels. Mosseri remarked, “We’ve heard your feedback and have initiated trials for a new feature that enables you to deactivate read receipts in your DMs. Soon, users will have the choice to determine when others can see if they’ve read their messages.”
However, he did not mention the exact timing for this modification or whether it would be rolled out to all users at the same time.
Users can toggle read receipts on or off in the ‘Who can see your activity’ section under Privacy and Safety settings. The setting description states, “Others can see when you’ve read their messages. Vanish mode messages always send read receipts.”
On his Instagram Broadcast channel, Zuckerberg wrote in a humorous tone, “If you’re someone who leaves people on read, your day has come.” He clarified that the company is currently experimenting with the option to disable read receipts in Instagram DMs.
On X (previously Twitter), many social media users have welcomed the announcement, with one person expressing, “Better late than never.” Another commenter expressed relief, saying, “Finally, some good news.”
Yet, the alteration hasn’t pleased everyone, with some lamenting the loss of the ability to track if their messages were read. Instagram hasn’t confirmed if this feature will be expanded to Facebook Messenger, another platform owned by Meta.
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WhatsApp, also under Meta’s ownership, has provided the choice to turn off read receipts since Meta’s acquisition (previously Facebook) in 2014. Meta plans to implement default end-to-end encryption for Instagram DMs as part of its integration with Messenger.
In August, Meta revealed its intentions to introduce default end-to-end encryption in Messenger by early 2024. Additionally, Instagram has introduced a ‘Quiet Mode’ to mute notifications.
