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Instagram announced an update to its Reels video feature this morning, just in time for news that the Supreme Court upheld a law banning TikTok in the US. Meta said the update will make it easier for users to discover content. friends and followers likes on the platform and will encourage users to start conversations about Reels content.
The company is poised to capture a number of TikTok users after the US ban, especially creators who use the social media to generate income. While a large group of TikTokers have already fled to the Chinese app RedNote in protest of the ban, it will be harder for creators to monetize their followers on the app, which is mostly used by Chinese netizens rather than US businesses and brands.
Seeking to capture the attention of TikTok users, Meta announced on Friday that it is adding a feature that appears in the upper-right corner of the Reels tab, making it easier to see content that friends and followers have liked or commented on. It looks like a small banner with the profile pictures of those engaging with the content and a small heart icon or chat bubble to indicate what kind of interaction they are having.
In addition, the company said it will introduce a new “reply bar” below the wheel that will allow users to easily reply to content their friends have liked. For example, the bar might prompt you to respond to a friend’s “Like” as their profile picture and heart float across the screen.
Meta said the feature will be available in the US market to begin with.
