Instagram has introduced a new feature to facilitate connections among college students on campus, the company announced on Tuesday, following a similar move by TikTok just a week prior.
The new feature allows students in the United States to add their college or university to their profile banner, making it easier to identify and connect with fellow students. To activate this feature, students can simply select the “Add School” option on their profile.
Verification is conducted through UNiDAYS, a student verification platform, to ensure that only enrolled students can display their school affiliation on their profile. Users have control over the visibility of their school banner, allowing them to manage their privacy settings according to their preferences.
Once verified, students gain access to a directory of other confirmed students at their institution. According to Instagram, this directory is designed to simplify the process of finding classmates and fostering connections. The directory can be filtered by year, enabling students to easily locate individuals in their specific graduating class.
The introduction of these college-focused features by Instagram and TikTok echoes the early days of Facebook, which initially served as a platform for Harvard students to connect. The underlying concept is to create a dedicated space for students to interact with one another on campus, mirroring Facebook’s original mission when it launched in 2004.
The launch of this feature was anticipated, as reports of Instagram developing it surfaced last year. While these features aim to enhance social connections among college students, they also raise potential privacy concerns. However, the optional nature of the feature allows users to maintain a separation between their online presence and student life by choosing not to add their school to their profile.
Notably, the added layer to Instagram’s already feature-rich interface might not be welcomed by all users, potentially altering their user experience.
