Instagram Introduces ‘Flipside’ as a New Feature to Encourage Private Sharing

Instagram has recently launched a new feature called ‘Flipside’ to a selected group of users, aiming to encourage more private sharing on the platform. This move comes as social media apps have observed a shift towards smaller, more exclusive engagement communities.

The ‘Flipside’ option creates an alternative profile space that is accessible only to the user and their chosen connections. Users can set their Flipside as the audience for their posts, ensuring that these updates are only visible within that space. Additionally, users can visit their Flipside profile gallery, where they can add a new profile name and picture, if desired.

The surge in private interactions, like direct messaging, and a decline in posting on the main feed prompted Instagram’s chief, Adam Mosseri, to acknowledge this trend back in 2022. As a response, Instagram has implemented various features such as Close Friends lists, which enable sharing posts with specific users, and Topics, which allow users to follow high-profile accounts.

‘Flipside’ expands on these efforts by Instagram, allowing users to establish different personas within the app. The feature caters particularly to younger users, crucial to Instagram’s strategy as they increasingly gravitate towards TikTok and Snapchat.

It remains to be seen whether ‘Flipside’ will be a success, but it aligns with the ongoing trend of fostering more engagement within private circles. Currently, the feature is not available to all users in all regions, indicating a gradual rollout.

Instagram will continue monitoring the progress and introduce updates accordingly.