Instead of the swipe-up motion to access links in Stories, Instagram is switching to stickers instead of the swipe-up gesture. The modification will be introduced on August 30, according to some users. When posting Instagram Stories, users may add links to them, and viewers can visit the link by using the swipe-up gesture. Instagram hasn’t revealed any specifics regarding this adjustment as of now.
In a tweet, app reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) noted that Instagram will be eliminating the functionality of the swipe-up links on August 30 and replacing it with a new link sticker feature. Sam Sheffer, a YouTuber, provided a screenshot of the notice that users are seeing from Instagram later in the evening.
IG said the swipe up links will go away starting from Aug 30 and that I should use the “link sticker”
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) August 23, 2021
… but I searched my Stories Sticker sheet and I’m not seeing the link sticker at all (not rolled out to me).
Does that mean I’ll lose the ability to add links to my Stories?
“Swipe-up links will be removed on August 30. Link stickers are now available for usage in stories,” the notification said. Due to the fact that this notification hasn’t yet been sent to all Instagram users, it’s unclear whether or not this is a worldwide rollout.
If a verified Instagram user adds a link to an Instagram Story, viewers of the story are able to access it with a swipe up motion, thus the name “swipe up links”. If users choose to utilize the “link sticker” option, it appears that they may place these stickers wherever on the narrative. A variety of stickers are also expected to be available to users.
Gadgets 360 reached out to Instagram for clarification and received the following response:
- confirming that we will begin converting those who presently have “swipe-up” access to the link sticker on August 30th. This covers verified companies and artists, as well as those who have reached our following level.
- As a fundamental component of the Stories production process, we aim to simplify the process of sharing what is important to people. With the link sticker, our community will be able to enjoy the following benefits: Story creation has been simplified. Now you can add a Link sticker to your Instagram stories to share your favorite links.
- There is an additional level of creator control since this sticker looks and behaves the same as the other stickers (e.g. question, poll, and location). He or she may choose between several styles and resize the image, as well as put it wherever on your article to maximize its effect.
People value intimacy and involvement, as well. Like any other shared story (such as the tray of emojis), users may quickly react and respond to postings that have the link sticker attached, but the “swipe-up” link does not allow users to get comments.
While evaluating whether to expand link access in the future (after announcing we began testing the link sticker back in June), the team is also considering topics like integrity and safety, how this may affect the propagation of misinformation, spam, etc… As we go from swipe-up to link stickers, we’ll be able to evaluate if it’s the appropriate option before allowing more people access.
It was revealed earlier this month that the Facebook-owned social networking site will be adding a number of new features geared at safeguarding users from harassment. This feature allows its users to limit the number of comments and direct messages (DMs) they receive during periods of high traffic. When people attempt to submit foul language, they will receive stronger warnings.