Meta may shield you from accidentally liking someone’s post on Instagram with “read-only mode”
Stalk all you want for just $4 a month.
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- Instagram is internally testing read-only mode, which lets users view profiles without liking, commenting, messaging, or following.
- The mode turns off automatically when users leave the profile.
- The feature may be limited to Instagram Plus, Meta’s paid subscription tier.
- Critics worry the tool could help people browse profiles anonymously and encourage stalking.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
Instagram appears to be testing a feature that critics fear could encourage users to anonymously stalk others' profiles.
If you've ever found yourself looking at someone’s Instagram account without following them, afraid of accidentally liking a post, the social media platform may have a solution for you.
Alessandro Paluzzi, a developer and a self-described “leaker,” posted on X that Instagram may be working on a feature called “read-only mode.”
Screenshots shared by Paluzzi show that the new feature would allow users to browse other profiles without being able to follow, like, comment, message, or view their stories. Once the user leaves the profile, the mode is automatically turned off.
The post also revealed that the feature might be accessible only to Instagram Plus users, who pay a $4 monthly subscription fee for additional features from Meta.
Currently, read-only mode is being tested only internally, Instagram’s spokesperson shared with Engadget.
Given this, it’s unclear when or whether the feature will be implemented at all, especially since it could be used for stalking or other suspicious activity.
“Not the stalking mode,” wrote one X user.
“Why are they making us pay tho?” asked another user.
What’s Instagram Plus?
This year, Meta launched a paid tier for its social media platforms, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
Starting at $3, the Plus subscription provides users with “enhanced” features, including profile customization, audience insights, and special reactions.
Instagram Plus users can see how many people rewatched their stories, create audience lists, keep their stories visible for more than 24 hours, and use custom profile fonts and app icons.
And read-only mode isn’t the first stalker-friendly feature the company has been working on. Previously, Meta tested a paid feature that would allow a user to watch another user’s story without the other user knowing.
