Instagram has plans to allow its users to join communities of their respective colleges.
Instagram is testing a new college community feature that would connect students at the same college or university. According to a report from CNBC, the feature looks to connect users from the same college/university, which could also help users find their friends on the basis of the year that they graduated. Through the feature, Instagram users can choose to send direct messages, and find stories of their college mates.
Those on Instagram can locate the college community feature while editing their profile. When a user goes to the followers list, and click on the ‘You’ tab, a prompt shows up below the ‘Follow Request’ option. It is through here that the app asks a user to join a community group of their alma mater, and ‘connect with other students’. When Instagram users add their university details, as well as the year of their graduation, the app will help them select from class-based lists of students. In addition, the photo-sharing platform verifies these details through posts users share about their universities.
While one CNBC reporter was able to successfully add their alma mater on Instagram, and join the college community, the app showed them as a current student. When contacted, Instagram told CNBC that the new feature was still being tested out, and users can employ tools when they want to report inappropriate usage. Also, users will need to wait for the complete rollout, so that Instagram can check for bugs, and put fixes in place. The college communities feature appears to be Instagram’s latest bid to create more ‘meaningful conversations’ on the platform.