Instagram begins testing of private sharing feature

Instagram has begun testing of a new feature known as ‘Favorites’ that allows users to share their pictures and stories with a customized list of friends.

The company’s product lead Robby Stein confirmed in an interview to The Verge that the feature has been in the works for over a year, and is expected to be released broadly in the next few months. Every portion of the app, according to The Verge has been modified to accommodate a broader release.

Beginning from Friday, 23 June, Instagram will be testing Favorites among a small percentage of users.

When it’s rolled out, users who want to create a regular post or a story post, will see new options to share to their favorites. Once they select the option, the post will be visible only to the people on their list, denoted by a green ‘favorites’ badge on the post.

Users Instagram profiles will also include a new ‘favorites’ tab identified by a star that contains all the non-ephemeral posts they have shared to their customised list over time.

When users delete contacts from the list, those deleted will no longer be notified when a ‘Favorited’ post goes out. Friends can also request to be added to the list through the app.