Instagram has added new features to its increasingly popular Stories section, enabling users to stream live videos that will not leave an online trace. Another new feature allows Instagram users to share private photos that disappear after being viewed.
Shilpa Sarkar, Instagram's product manager, called the live video function an "inevitable step" for Stories. It is similar to Twitter's Periscope and Facebook Live in that a user's followers are automatically notified when he or she goes live, according to Variety.
People viewing the live stream can chat with the broadcaster and send hearts to express their appreciation. The streams will disappear when they're done and leave no record of transmissions, unlike Facebook Live. A person can choose to not let certain Instagram users view his or her live feed.
Instagram users going live will have a "Live" label under their Stories profile picture. The "Top Live" section will feature the most exciting live stories anywhere in the world at a particular moment.
The live streaming feature will roll out worldwide over the next few weeks, Instagram said on its blog. The other new feature, on the other hand, is already available globally.
To share private disappearing photos or videos, Instagram users just have to swipe right into the camera and tap the arrow to send it as a direct message. The messages will be deleted from a recipient's inbox after he or she has viewed them.
Instagram users can send disappearing photos and videos only to people who follow them, whether their account is public or private. The feature is considered an extension of Stories, where photos and videos disappear after a day.
The features are the latest that Instagram rolled out to further boost Stories' edge over Snapchat, an app that is often compared to it. A few weeks ago, Instagram allowed users to mention friends on Stories posts and create looping videos using the Boomerang app, and made posting hyperlinks on Stories possible for verified accounts.
How do you find all these new Instagram features?
