Instagram Plus: The New Tool for Social Media Stalking or a Privacy Nightmare?
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Instagram has announced a new paid subscription called Instagram Plus, allowing users to preview stories without appearing on the viewer list, among other features. Critics argue that it exacerbates the unhealthy aspects of social media behavior, especially in terms of romantic relationships, and could increase anxiety and obsessive tendencies. Concerns have been raised about the platform preying on vulnerable people, such as those dealing with breakups or struggling with mental health issues.
Instagram Plus: The Pros and Cons of its New Features
Just a while back, my former flame ignited a new relationship. An Instagram snapshot of them looking blissfully happy was my first introduction. Clicking on her public Instagram profile, tantalizing clues about her life were on display until I hit her high-school graduation photos. What remained concealed was her Instagram story – the only way to view it without being detected required a change of user. Absurdly, I resorted to my old dog’s account.
The convenience or downfall of such private snooping has just been addressed with Instagram’s new paid subscription, Instagram Plus. As a TikTok user labeled these secret observers, for a mere $3.99 monthly, you can use a range of new features, including viewing stories incognito. The subscription also offers an option to search for a specific person among your story viewers, insights into the replay count of your story, and the ability to extend a story’s life to 48 hours.
These features, Instagram asserts, are “designed to enhance your Instagram experience,” by aiding self-expression and interaction. If spying on friends or foes is your thing, then Instagram Plus has nailed it. Yet, it’s concerning that social media platforms now exploit our most vulnerable impulses, similar to a cheap iced coffee.
Instagram Plus could be seen as an indicator of the issues in modern romance and social media. The app has become an essential tool in dating, the flirtations, and the breakups, enabling us to create narratives about others using meaningless data. An ex viewing my story must mean they’re still interested, right?
Instagram users will vouch for the torment it has added to their dating life. The early heartbreak and romanticized moments have been replaced with an endless cycle of strategic picture posting. Working out which picture will catch a certain person’s eye has become a chore for many. It got worse with Instagram stories, a feature borrowed from Snapchat, that allows regrettable content to vanish after 24 hours. This feature marked the shift from documenting your past to sharing your present, Caitlin Begg , a Sociologist and Founder of the research lab Authentic Social, shared.
Therapist, Dr.Courtney Tracy , who specializes in attachment issues, highlighted that the abundance of information on others’ behaviour can lead to wild conclusions. Overloading our brains with information makes us create our own explanation for others’ behaviour, which is often far from accurate.
If you’ve never experienced the madness of love in the age of Instagram, let me tell you about the lengths people go to. I have spent countless hours looking through story viewers to see if my ex has seen my post. One woman I know has memorized everyone an ex follows, monitoring if the follower count has increased, all in case he has followed a beautiful woman.
Instagram-story behaviour isn’t limited to romantic relationships. Tracy recounted sessions where clients obsessed about why their ex-best friend is viewing their Instagram story every day, but not liking any of their posts.
Most of the people I spoke with said they wouldn’t subscribe to Instagram Plus. However, many of them said that they would feel differently if they’d recently gone through a breakup. Both Tracy and Begg expressed concern about the app preying on vulnerable individuals, including those who struggle with attachment disorders or are overly sensitive to rejection.
Instagram Plus is rolling out gradually and will certainly expand. The subscription price may increase, and more options may be added. However, one thing is certain – we’ll likely spend more time online driving ourselves insane with these “fun little extra features,” as Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, put it.
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