Instagram is copying a Snapchat feature – it feels like a broken record now – to help protect your privacy. The app will now alert you when someone takes a screenshot of your images, but as The Verge points out, this only works for the new temporary direct messages enabled with the app’s last big update.
Say what you will about Instagram’s recent Snapchat copycat-ing, but this one is a welcome inclusion. Out of all the content you can share on Instagram, temporary direct messages are certainly the ones people will want to keep private – there’s a reason they’re temporary.
Instagram now notifies if someone takes a screenshot. Be careful @silverbtf pic.twitter.com/n4olOvKg0L
— Travis (@travlim) November 24, 2016
Of course, this doesn’t stop someone from taking a screenshot with another recording device – like, you know, a camera – but it’s at least a bit of a deterrent against sneaky folks sharing photos or messages you don’t want to be shared. At the very least, I can imagine some sneaky screengrabbers will get their comeuppance soon.
On the other side of the coin, some people might want even wider options for screenshot alerts. If you keep your Instagram account private, you probably don’t want any of your content being shared outside of your friend circle.
It’s not clear whether this feature is available to everyone, iOS users only, or a small batch of test users (I wasn’t able to immediately replicate it on Android). We’ve contacted Instagram for more information and will update this post if we hear back.
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