The Instagram reposting feature has been introduced as part of a series of updates, but it’s already facing criticism for borrowing ideas from other social platforms like Twitter, TikTok, and Snapchat. This new Instagram reposting feature allows users to easily share content, but many feel that Instagram is losing its original identity in favor of copying competitors.
Instagram Reposting Feature: Now Live on Profiles
The new over-post feature on Instagram is pretty much what it sounds like, your feed or Reels would be on your own feed but tell people it is you who is posting. When you tap that three-dot menu on anything other people have posted publicly, and determined you would like to repost it, the material appears on your profile in its own tab tabbed Reposts. And Instagram will begin adding that re-shared post to the feeds of certain followers so that they may know what you thought was worthy of pointing out.
Here’s how to repost on Instagram:
- Tap the repost icon on any public reel or post.
- Add an optional note using the thought bubble icon.
- Press save to complete the repost.
Instagram’s New Map Feature: Share Content by Location
The newest addition to Instagram is a map feature which allows us to see the posts of our friends and favorite creators all organized by location. With panning around, we have the ability to tell what is in vogue in different cities thus opening a new channel of engagement with content across different parts of the world.
Backlash Against Instagram’s New Direction
I like what Instagram has to offer, yet on the other hand, I have seen people complaining that the application is simply imitating the rest. The new option of reposting is directly copied out of Twitter in particular. Humans tend to be rather vocal with it, stating how Instagram is merely stealing concepts off of the most popular platforms.
As one of its users expressed it: First it was Stories (Snapchat) then Reels (TikTok) and now reposts (Twitter). Instagram has an entire personality stolen.”
One of the students commented it as follows, Instagram is so desperate to be TikTok – now you can repost reels 😭.
Instagram’s Response to Criticism
Meta has not quite responded directly to the most recent round of criticisms, but it is quite clear at this point that the company is positioning Instagram as an end-to-end, multi-purpose app. In other words, short videos, photos and location-based activity feeds all in one place, i.e., the following one-stop-shop content-sharing ecosystem.
On the one hand, such a recent array of releases provides quite well to the cross-platforms cherry picking we have observed in social media so far. Meanwhile on the other, it appears that Instagram is set on remaining competitive in a world where disappearing apps come and go quicker than the newsfeed stories. In that way, these upgrades can keep the platform modern but also pose the question regarding whether it is going to really distinguish Instagram or simply irritate other users who already disapprove of the busyness of this application.
Swapnil is a passionate writer who specializes in creating engaging and informative articles. With a knack for storytelling, he covers a wide range of topics, providing readers with valuable insights and fresh perspectives. Whether it's about trends, lifestyle, or creativity, Swapnil's writing aims to educate, inspire, and entertain.