Tag: instagram

Instagram says it fixed the issue that let someone send all those password reset emails

image via theverge.com
image via theverge.com

If you’re one of the many, many people who received a password reset email from Instagram the other day, the company says it fixed the issue. What was the issue? Unclear. All we know is that an “external party” triggered the emails, and Instagram says you can safely ignore them. The company posted on X that the issue had been fixed and also claimed there was no breach of its systems. This seemingly contradicts reports from Malwarebytes, which said that information on 17.5 million Instagram accounts, including usernames, physical addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, was available on the dark web.

https://www.theverge.com/news/860337/instagram-fixed-password-reset-emails

Threads is developing in-message games

image via techcrunch.com

Threads is exploring games in chats, beginning with a basketball game. Launching in-message games would give Threads an edge over competitors like X and Bluesky, which don’t offer built-in games. It’s also worth noting this isn’t the first time Meta has explored in-message gaming, as Instagram launched a hidden emoji game in DMs last year.

https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/06/threads-is-developing-in-message-games/

Instagram’s shifting to rectangles, messing up your perfect, square grid

image via mashable.com
image via mashable.com

"I know some of you really like your squares. And square photos are sort of the heritage of Instagram," Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said in an Instagram story. "But at this point, most of what’s uploaded, both photos and videos, are vertical in their orientation. And it just is a bummer to overly crop them. I know it's a change. I know it's a bit of a pain, but I think it's a transitional pain."

https://mashable.com/article/instagram-rectangle-square-grid

Instagram rolls out ‘trial reels’ that aren’t shown to a creator’s followers

image via techcrunch.com
image via techcrunch.com

Instagram is officially rolling out “trial reels” to give creators a way to test out new content by publishing videos that don’t appear to their followers. The feature, which launched in testing in May, allows creators to experiment with new ideas and see what performs best without having to worry about how their followers may react.

https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/10/instagram-rolls-out-trial-reels-that-arent-shown-to-a-creators-followers/

Instagram will let you rebuild your recommendations from scratch

image via theverge.com
image via theverge.com

The new feature will be available to users of all ages, including Teen accounts. “We want to make sure everyone on Instagram – especially teens – has safe, positive, age-appropriate experiences and feels the time they’re spending on Instagram is valuable,” Meta said. “We want to give teens new ways to shape their Instagram experience, so it can continue to reflect their passions and interests as they evolve.”

https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/19/24300458/instagram-reset-content-recommendations-from-scratch

Instagram is lowering video quality for unpopular videos

image via techcrunch.com
image via techcrunch.com

The popularity of an Instagram video can affect its actual video quality: According to Adam Mosseri (the Meta executive who leads Instagram and Threads), videos that are more popular get shown in higher quality, while less popular videos get shown in lower quality. In a video (via The Verge), Mosseri said Instagram tries to show “the highest-quality video that we can,” but he said, “if something isn’t watched for a long time — because the vast majority of views are in the beginning — we will move to a lower quality video.”

https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/27/instagram-is-lowering-video-quality-for-unpopular-videos/