This archive report was first published on 8 October 2019.
On October 8, 2019, Instagram announced the removal of its 'Following' tab, a feature that allowed users to see their friends' activity on the platform.
The 'Following' tab, which was introduced in 2011, allowed users to see what content their friends had engaged with, including likes and comments. However, with the rise of the 'Explore' tab, the 'Following' tab became less relevant, and Instagram decided to remove it.
According to Instagram's head of product, Vishal Shah, the 'Following' tab was not serving its intended purpose and was causing users to be surprised when their activity was being shown.
Instagram's chief, Adam Mosseri, stated that the company was trying to keep the app simple and user-friendly, and removing the 'Following' tab was part of that effort.
However, the removal of the 'Following' tab has raised concerns among some users and content creators, who feel that it will make it harder to understand their audience and discover new content.
Despite these concerns, Instagram's 'Explore' tab will continue to be available, allowing users to see accounts that are open and trending content based on what people are liking and popular hashtags.
