Instagram is testing a text messaging feature that will erase texts after the user has exited the chat. The new text messaging feature was initially discovered by Jane Manchun Wong, an app researcher, and following that a spokesperson from the company confirmed it.
The platform has been experimenting with a similar feature for some time, and in 2018 it released a new capability that enabled the user to control how people can view images or videos that were shared using the Instagram Direct Camera. The platform allowed users to send content that could only be viewed once or multiple times.
Overall, the feature could help the platform compete with other social media sites, as features like this are common elsewhere.
Disappearing Social Media Text
Instagram Confirmed It is Testing a New Text Messaging Feature
Trend Themes
1. Ephemeral Messaging - The disappearing text messaging feature offers an opportunity for businesses to create temporary and exclusive marketing campaigns.
2. Enhanced Privacy - The ability to automatically erase messages after exiting the chat presents an opportunity for industries dealing with sensitive information, such as healthcare or finance, to provide more secure communication channels.
3. Competition in Social Media - Instagram's testing of disappearing text messaging feature is a sign of industry competition, indicating the need for innovation and differentiation within the social media landscape.
Industry Implications
1. Marketing and Advertising - The disappearing text messaging feature allows marketers to create time-limited campaigns, driving urgency and engaging customers in a new way.
2. Healthcare - The auto-erase feature can benefit healthcare providers by offering more secure and private communication channels for discussing patient information and sensitive topics.
3. Finance and Banking - The disappearing text messaging feature can be leveraged by financial institutions to enhance customer privacy and security during sensitive conversations about financial matters.