For a while, Instagram used to be "that shit you can post photos on." Twitter and Facebook were reigning, and IG was chill but underutilized. Now, Instagram is a full-on empire. Sure, it's owned by Facebook, but let's be real: if you're popping on IG, we doubt you're rocking with FB. Since incorporating video (and ganking some of Snapchat's best features), there's truly no stopping the service.
News that Instagram hit 800 million accounts (with 500 million using the service on the regular) shouldn't be a surprise, but the new feature they are rolling out is very welcome. Instagram said that, starting today, "If your account is public, you’ll see a new way to choose who can comment on your posts—from everyone to just groups of people, like people you follow or your followers. Also, whether your account is public or private, you’ll be able to block other accounts from commenting on your posts."
This can help on a number of fronts: if you're a celebrity (or someone of a certain status) who wants to have their social media accounts free of fuckery, you can block trolls with ease. Or, if you have a new bae and don't want your ex calling them out by name, you can add them to the list to not even be able to drop a gem in your mentions. Smart move all around, IG.
Instagram says they are also pushing the mean comment filter they debuted in June to cover German, French, Arabic, and Portugese-language content. They also mentioned the inclusion of anonymous reporting of live video content for those who might be suffering from mental illness or just being in need of support.
Instagram's going to be hitting a billi before we know it; what will they have in store for users next?
