By 2024, we've witnessed several interesting changes, including the emergence of new and captivating tools, as well as the surprising elimination of some familiar features.

Both for regular Instagram users and for companies operating on this platform, as well as for content creators, understanding the impact of these Instagram updates in 2024 is essential.

Meta introduces new messaging features on the Instagram platform, making them more similar to WhatsApp than regular direct messages.

The first feature brought in the latest series of updates allows editing direct messages for 15 minutes after pressing the "send" button, an improvement already implemented by Meta for Messenger in December, according to Euronews Next.

To make changes, you can now press and hold on the message and select "edit" from the menu. Although the window may seem a bit too small to correct any mistake, it's useful to have the option to maintain a typo-free conversation.

Regarding other updates, you can now pin up to three conversations at the top of the message box, a feature inspired by what WhatsApp already offers its users, according to Euronews.com.

To do this, swipe left or press and hold on the conversation and then tap "pin". This option is available for both individual and group conversations.

Additionally, Instagram offers the ability to disable read receipts in messages, so you can choose to ignore them and keep your peace.

Considering that many of these features are available on other platforms as well, Meta seems to be trying to regain ground against other instant messaging applications, especially after the recent outage when Meta platforms went down, and hundreds of thousands of users couldn't access their accounts for several hours.

Furthermore, Instagram has added new themes to personalize your conversation, including a candy theme. However, Instagram isn't the only platform receiving new features.

Here are some changes that could be implemented in 2024 on Instagram, according to Lifestyleasia.com:

1) Teen Safety

Improved protection for teenagers - Instagram (and Facebook) is making significant efforts to protect teenagers from potentially harmful content. The platform will hide from teenagers' feeds and searches posts that promote self-harm, eating disorders and hard drug use. Additionally, the platforms will automatically configure teenagers' new accounts to the most restrictive privacy settings.

This means that their profiles will be private by default, adults they don't know won't be able to message them, and only their friends will be able to see their comments. While experts support these changes and believe they will improve young people's online safety, it can be argued that they might be too restrictive and could prevent teenagers from accessing important resources or information.

2) "Flipside" Experiment

Instagram is currently testing a feature called Flipside, which aims to bring the popular concept of "finstas" (fake Instagram accounts) directly onto the platform. This information was confirmed by Instagram head Adam Mosseri to Techcrunch. Finstas are often used by individuals to share more personal or niche content with a small, select group of friends, in contrast to their main Instagram accounts.

Flipside would allow users to create a secondary profile associated with their main account. This secondary profile could have different privacy settings and a more focused audience without requiring the management of a separate account altogether.

The potential benefits of integrating "finstas" into the main platform are intriguing. It gives users more control over content sharing and audience segmentation without needing to manage multiple accounts. Additionally, this feature could help Instagram better understand user behavior and preferences. Furthermore, by linking a "Flipside" to a main profile, Instagram could have more effective age verification tools, potentially improving online safety, especially for younger users.

3) "Friends Map"

Instagram seems to be working on a potentially groundbreaking but controversial feature called "Friends Map", according to information provided by engineer Alessandro Paluzzi. This feature, still in internal testing, would allow users to view their friends' real-time locations on a map, similar to Snapchat's Snap Map. While exact details remain speculative, the idea has sparked both excitement and concerns.

On one hand, "Friends Map" could facilitate spontaneous meetups and provide an increased sense of security by allowing users to quickly check a friend's location if needed. Additionally, it could promote social interaction and lead to more unplanned gatherings.

However, the real-time tracking feature of "Friends Map" raises significant privacy concerns. Many users may find the idea of others being able to see their exact location throughout the day invasive. There's a risk of abuse of this feature, such as unwanted tracking or monitoring of someone's movements. Moreover, location data is highly sensitive, and users will demand firm assurances from Instagram on how this data is stored and protected.

4) Increased Parental Control

Instagram and Facebook are rolling out new tools aimed at parents to help them supervise and manage their teenagers' online experiences. These controls will allow parents to monitor their teenagers' communication, the content they share, and the time spent on apps. Additionally, parents will have the ability to set time limits for their teenagers' app usage and restrict access to certain types of content.

These updates are designed to give parents greater control and visibility over their teenagers' online activities. Some experts appreciate these new parental controls, while others fear they may be too invasive and advocate for giving teenagers more trust in their ability to navigate their digital environment independently.