Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over 1.4 billion monthly active users as of 2024. A key feature that keeps many of those users engaged is Instagram Stories, which allow you to post ephemeral photo and video content that disappears after 24 hours. In 2017, Instagram introduced an enhancement to stories called Highlights, which lets users curate and showcase their favorite expired stories on their profile indefinitely.
With 500 million daily active users, Instagram Stories and Highlights have become a massive part of how people share and consume content on the app. For many users, screenshotting interesting stories and highlights is a reflexive habit. However, this raises an important question: does Instagram notify users when you screenshot their highlights?
How Instagram Highlights Work
Before we dive into the nitty gritty of screenshot notifications, let‘s make sure we‘re all on the same page about how Instagram Highlights actually function. Essentially, highlights are a way to save and display your favorite stories so that people can view them even after the 24-hour expiration date.
To create a highlight, you first need to add the story to your archive before it disappears. To do this, go to your profile, tap the "Archive" icon on the top right, then tap the "Story Archive" tab. From here you can select any archived stories and add them to a new or existing highlight reel.
You can organize your highlights into different categories with custom titles and cover images, and they‘ll appear in a row of circles below your profile bio. When someone taps on a highlight, they‘ll be able to view all the stories you‘ve added to it, just like they would in your normal story feed.
Highlights are a popular way for users to provide more permanent access to their best stories and create a sort of curated mini-portfolio on their profile. According to a survey by Facebook (which owns Instagram), 58% of users say they‘ve become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it featured in stories. For influencers, bloggers, and businesses, highlights are an especially valuable tool for showcasing products and engaging with followers.
Instagram‘s Controversial History with Screenshot Notifications
Now back to the question at hand: does Instagram send notifications when someone screenshots a story highlight? The answer is a resounding no – but that wasn‘t always the case.
Instagram first started toying with the idea of screenshot notifications back in 2016, when some users started receiving alerts that someone had screenshotted their story. However, the feature was never officially released, and Instagram soon abandoned the test without much fanfare.
Fast forward to February 2018, and some users again started noticing a new screenshot notification warning when viewing stories. Instagram later confirmed that this was a test feature they were rolling out to a limited subset of users.
Here‘s how it worked: if you screenshotted someone‘s story, a tiny shutter icon would appear next to your name on their story viewer list, letting them know you had taken a screenshot. Instagram claimed this was an effort to improve the user experience and offer more transparency, likely taking inspiration from a similar feature on Snapchat.
The Swift Demise of Insta‘s Screenshot Alerts
Well, that test feature didn‘t last very long! After a swift and fierce backlash from users who felt the notifications were invasive and unnecessary, Instagram backtracked and removed the feature altogether in June 2018.
In a statement to BuzzFeed News, an Instagram spokesperson said:
"We are always testing ways to improve the experience on Instagram and make it easier to share any moment with the people who matter to you. We have removed this feature as of the latest app update for Android and iOS."
Since then, Instagram has not attempted to reintroduce any type of screenshot notification features. As of 2024, you can rest assured that nobody will be alerted if you screenshot their story or highlight.
The Psychology Behind Screenshot Secrecy
So why did the idea of screenshot notifications ruffle so many feathers among Instagram users? To understand the strong reaction, we need to consider the psychology behind why people screenshot content in the first place.
For many users, screenshotting is a way to privately save or share content they find interesting, funny, or noteworthy. It allows them to engage with posts in a way that doesn‘t necessarily broadcast their interest to the original poster or their own followers.
There‘s a certain thrill to the feeling of being an invisible observer, able to capture and keep content without the creator knowing. It‘s like taking a little piece of the internet for yourself – a 21st century version of tearing out a magazine page to tack on your wall.
Screenshotting can also serve as a form of social currency, allowing people to share and discuss noteworthy posts with friends via DM or on other platforms. In this way, it facilitates a type of under-the-radar gossip and conversation that feels more private and exclusive.
For all these reasons, many users see screenshotting as a personal right and an integral part of how they use Instagram. The idea of the app intruding on that privacy and reporting their screenshots back to the original poster feels like a violation of trust and an unnecessary overreach.
The Case Against Bringing Back Screenshot Notifications
Despite the outcry, some have argued that Instagram should offer screenshot notifications as an opt-in feature to protect users‘ intellectual property and give them more control over how their content is used.
However, the vast majority of users and experts seem to agree that the cons of screenshot notifications far outweigh any potential benefits. Here are a few key reasons why:
It could create a "chilling effect" on engagement. If people know their screenshots are being monitored and reported, they may be less likely to engage with and share content freely. This could lead to a decrease in overall app usage and a more guarded, less authentic user experience.
There are already legal protections for intellectual property. Laws like the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) provide avenues for content creators to request the removal of copyrighted material that has been screenshotted and re-shared without permission. Screenshot notifications would be a redundant and heavy-handed solution.
It undermines the core appeal of stories and highlights. The entire point of these features is to allow users to share temporary, informal snippets of their lives. Adding screenshot alerts introduces an element of surveillance and permanence that goes against the casual, ephemeral spirit of the format.
Most users understand that anything they post could be screenshotted. In today‘s digital age, there‘s an unspoken understanding that once you put something on the internet, you can‘t necessarily control how it‘s saved and shared around. If you don‘t want something screenshotted, it‘s best not to post it in the first place.
It could open the door for even more invasive tracking features. If Instagram sets a precedent of notifying users about screenshots, it‘s not hard to imagine a slippery slope where they start alerting about other behaviors like viewing a story multiple times, visiting a profile frequently, etc. Most users are not on board with that level of granular tracking and reporting.
How Other Social Apps Handle Screenshots
For comparison, let‘s take a quick look at how some other popular social media apps approach screenshot notifications:
- Snapchat: Notifies the sender if you screenshot a private chat, story, or snap (but NOT a public story or spotlight).
- Twitter: Does not notify users of screenshots under any circumstances.
- TikTok: Does not notify users of screenshots under any circumstances.
- Facebook: Does not notify users of screenshots except in their new "Vanish Mode" for disappearing messages.
As you can see, Instagram is in good company with its current hands-off approach to screenshot notifications. With the exception of Snapchat, most major social platforms have opted not to police user screenshots.
Tips for Protecting Your Content and Privacy on Instagram
Even though Instagram doesn‘t snitch on screenshotters, it‘s understandable to have some concerns about your personal content being saved and shared without your knowledge. Here are some tips for protecting your privacy and intellectual property on the app:
Watermark your original photos and videos. Adding a watermark with your name or brand to your content makes it harder for others to repost and take credit for your work.
Use Instagram‘s built-in copyright tools. If you find your content reposted without credit, you can submit a copyright report to Instagram. They will remove any infringing posts.
Be selective about what you post. It‘s always smart to follow the "front page test" on social media. If you wouldn‘t want something shared on the front page of a newspaper, think twice before posting it on your public Instagram.
Choose your highlight cover images wisely. Remember that your highlight cover images are always visible on your public profile, even if the stories inside are private. Make sure the cover doesn‘t reveal anything you want to keep under wraps.
When in doubt, keep it in close friends. Instagram allows you to designate "close friends" who are the only ones able to view certain stories. If you‘ve got content that you only want trusted individuals to see, this is a smart way to restrict access and minimize screenshotting. You can add or remove people from your close friends list at any time.
Key Takeaways for Insta Screenshot Notifications in 2024
To recap, here are the key points you should know about Instagram‘s screenshot notification policies as of 2024:
- Instagram does NOT notify users when you screenshot their story highlights, posts, or permanent DMs.
- The ONLY time Instagram sends a screenshot notification is when you capture a disappearing photo or video sent via DM.
- Instagram tested screenshot notifications for stories in 2016 and 2018, but quickly removed the feature after negative user feedback.
- There are several reasons why bringing back screenshot alerts would likely do more harm than good for the app and its users.
- If you‘re concerned about your content being screenshotted, focus on applying common sense privacy and copyright protection measures.
Of course, Instagram is known to experiment with new features regularly, so it‘s always a good idea to stay on top of app updates and adjust your sharing habits accordingly. But for now, your screenshot habits can remain safely under the radar.
At the end of the day, the beauty and curse of social media will always be its capacity for instant, frictionless sharing. If you approach the apps with the understanding that nothing is ever truly private, you can focus on connecting authentically and save the top secret stuff for your finsta.