Instagram scraps 'Following' tab that lets you see what everyone else was liking

Instagram has got rid of the ‘Following’ feature from the app that allowed users to see the activity of the people they’re following.

This means you won’t be able to see what everyone else is liking, or the photos and videos everyone is commenting on.

The feature was first introduced in 2011. It could be found as a subcategory under the ‘Like’ menu, the heart-shaped icon at the bottom of the screen when you open the app.

Some users reported the feature made them feel paranoid and self-conscious because it felt as if others on the social media platform were monitoring their activity closely.

Taking to Twitter, the head of Instagram,  Adam Mosseri said “We’re always trying to stay focused and keep Instagram simple.”

https://twitter.com/mosseri/status/1181288498654924803

Instagram’s head of product Vishal Shah remarked that he is “Proud of this change.”

Proud of this change. We are trying to build a culture where “unshipping” is valued just as much as shipping in the first place. https://t.co/xK6y04iEgu

— Vishal Shah (@vishalshahis) October 7, 2019

This comes at a time when other social media platforms have begun hiding some data about engagement from its users.