Saturday 31/January/2026 – 10:58 AM
The Instagram platform is testing a new feature that allows users to withdraw from others’ close friends list, in a move aimed at enhancing privacy and avoiding embarrassing social situations associated with managing sharing circles.
Instagram platform
Meta Company, which owns the application, confirmed that the feature is still under development and in its initial stages, explaining that it has not yet been released for public testing, nor has a final date been set for it to be officially available to users, according to statements reported by TechCrunch, a website specializing in technology news.
The “Close Friends” feature allows sharing stories, clips, and posts with a limited group of followers instead of publishing them publicly, and since its launch in 2018, it has not been possible for users to delete themselves from others’ lists, which is what Instagram seeks to change through the new update.
Under the upcoming feature, the user will be alerted that if he is removed from someone’s close friends list, he will not be able to view this type of content in the future, unless it is added again by the account holder.
Although the exit of some users from these lists may cause discomfort to others, the new update is expected to gain wide acceptance among those who prefer to reduce the scope of participation or not appear on specific lists without entering into unwanted explanations or discussions.
This trend comes within the framework of social media platforms seeking to give users more flexibility in controlling privacy, an approach already followed by competing platforms such as Snapchat, which allows its users to remove themselves from private stories.
