Observed Signal · Jul 17, 2025 · Technical Release · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Instagram tests private Reels likes and AI bio generator
Instagram is testing two features focused on privacy and profile customization. First, new privacy controls in the Friends Tab allow users to choose who can see their likes and comments on Reels, with options such as 'Followers that you follow back' or 'No one', effectively decoupling engagement from public visibility. The setting is located under 'Activity in Friends Tab' and aims to give users more selective visibility. Second, Meta AI is being explored to automatically generate Instagram bios, offering variants and styles (Funny, Casual, Emoji, Absurd) that adapt to tone and goals. The AI-powered bios are intended to influence profile presentation and branding while raising questions about authenticity and standardization. Together, the features signal Instagram’s dual focus on private, targeted interaction and scalable, AI-assisted profile customization.
Technical Release by Meta introducing privacy features and AI bio generation; potential impact on engagement and creator presentation.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Instagram is testing privacy controls in the Friends Tab to hide Likes and Comments on Reels.
- Two options for visibility: 'Followers that you follow back' or 'No one'.
- Settings live under 'Activity in Friends Tab' to detach engagement from public visibility.
- Meta AI can automatically generate Bio variations with styles like Funny, Casual, Emoji, Absurd.
- Bio generation is demonstrated through AI-generated suggestions within the profile editing flow.
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Instagram Tests Close Friends Exit Feature; Expands Your Algo
Instagram is advancing its AI-driven approach to discovery and search, with CEO Adam Mosseri describing AI as an amplifier for existing platform capabilities rather than a complete reinvention. The company is also testing a new Close Friends exit feature that would let users remove themselves from other users' Close Friends lists, addressing awkward privacy dynamics in sensitive connections; the feature is still in development. In addition, Instagram is rolling out worldwide the Your Algo controls for Reels, enabling users to specify up to three core interests to influence content, following an initial US rollout. The coverage frames 2026 as a shift toward authentic, behavior-based signals and AI-assisted tools that prioritize relevance over vanity metrics, with Mosseri’s assertion that the glossy feed is dead highlighting a broader reorientation of the platform.
Instagram tests Your Algorithm: user control
Instagram is testing a US-only feature called Your Algorithm that lets users see which Reels the algorithm deems relevant and actively influence what they see. The feature presents an overview of the user’s interests, showing topics Instagram assigns to their profile and allowing users to add or reduce topics, even sharing their personal interests profile in Stories. Instagram describes it as a new way to see and control your algorithm, with Meta’s Chris Cox calling the rollout a step toward a more controllable Instagram experience. The test starts in the United States and will roll out gradually to all English-speaking users; there is no confirmed timeline for German-speaking users. The update is described as expanding beyond Reels to potentially Explore Feed and other surfaces in the future. Separately, Meta announced Edits updates to templates, storyboards, and remix features to aid reel creation.
Instagram tests new ways to customize 'Your Algorithm'
Instagram is experimenting with additional ways for users to access and personalize "Your Algorithm," the app’s tool for specifying topics they want to see more or less of. In a post, Instagram head Adam Mosseri showed UI tests including pulling down on the feed to open a Your Algorithm menu, swiping up from a Reel to access customization, and buttons beneath Reels to indicate whether a user wants to see more content like that. Mosseri said some changes are testing now, some are coming soon, and some may not ship. Instagram originally launched Your Algorithm in December 2025. Several users responded asking the algorithm to prioritize content from accounts they follow.
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