Your days of screenshotting your ex-girlfriend’s Instagram Story, sending it to your friends in a group text, and asking how she could move on so quickly might soon be over.
Instagram confirmed to TheWrap it’s testing a system to notify users when their Stories are screenshot — something the popular photo-sharing app has only done for private direct messages to this point. TechCrunch first reported the development on Monday.
Instagram didn’t offer many details when asked how many users will see the test, or when a possible rollout could be expected.
“We are always testing ways to improve the experience on Instagram and make it easier to share any moment with the people who matter to you,” an Instagram spokesperson added to TheWrap.
Improving the experience looks like it includes mirroring rival Snapchat, which has been giving users a heads up for years. Much like Snapchat, Instagrammers will see a “camera shutter icon,” as TechCrunch put it, next to the username of the guilty party.
Several people on Twitter have been lamenting this potential Instagram update in the last few days.
https://twitter.com/sammynoura/status/961366145369550849
https://twitter.com/__cajb/status/961481844981157888
https://twitter.com/geoffkinns/status/961814151445102594
To this point, Instagram Stories has given cover to snooping users, allowing them to watch Stories as many times as they want in 24 hours and allowing screenshots without sending a notification.