Instagram announces feature to disable read receipts in DMs.
Instagram, owned by Meta, revealed its plans to introduce a feature allowing users to disable read receipts in direct messages (DMs).
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, and Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, disclosed their Instagram broadcast channels.
The feature, currently in the testing phase, would enable users to turn off the familiar ‘seen’ label, indicating when their messages have been read by the recipient.
As Instagram announces feature to disable read receipts in DMs, have a look at the screenshot:
This new functionality is accessible through the Privacy and Safety settings under the ‘Who can see your activity’ section.
By deactivating read receipts, recipients will no longer be informed whether their messages have been read.
Although the specific rollout timeline remains undisclosed, Meta aims to grant users more control over their messaging experience.
Reactions to this development have been diverse within the social media community.
Some users have welcomed the change, considering it a valuable addition to Instagram’s features.
They believe it will offer a newfound sense of privacy and control. One user on X (formerly Twitter) expressed relief, stating, “Finally, some good news.”
Others, however, have voiced concerns about losing the ability to track message statuses, highlighting the polarized nature of responses.
It is worth noting that while Instagram is implementing this feature for DMs, there is no official confirmation regarding its extension to Facebook Messenger, another platform under Meta’s umbrella.
Additionally, Meta plans to introduce default end-to-end encryption for Instagram DMs after completing its integration with Messenger, aligning with a similar encryption feature introduced in WhatsApp, another platform owned by Meta, in 2014.
The move to offer users the option to disable read receipts reflects Meta’s ongoing efforts to enhance user experience and privacy across its various platforms.
As the feature continues testing, users await further updates on its broader availability and potential integration into other Meta-owned messaging services.
