Instagram Tests Chronological Feed Again
For years, users requested the return of the chronological feed—and Instagram finally responded. In January 2022, Instagram began testing three different feed options:
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Home – The standard algorithm-based feed.
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Following – A classic chronological feed showing all posts from followed accounts.
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Favorites – A personalized list to see posts from selected accounts more prominently.
This test gave users more transparency and control over what they see, countering complaints about algorithmic filtering.
Source: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-tests-new-options-for-viewing-your-feed-including-chronological/617123/
Instagram Launches Paid Subscriptions for Creators (US)
In an effort to support creators, Instagram began testing paid subscriptions in the U.S. This allowed influencers and content creators to offer exclusive content to their subscribers:
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Subscriber-only Lives
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Subscriber-only Stories
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Special subscriber badges
Subscription prices ranged from $0.99 to $99.99/month, giving creators more control over their income while keeping audiences within the Instagram ecosystem.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/19/instagram-subscriptions/
Instagram Introduces ‘Quiet Mode’ for Wellness
To promote healthier digital habits, Instagram launched ‘Quiet Mode’, allowing users to:
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Mute notifications for a specific time period
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Display an “In Quiet Mode” status to followers
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Auto-reply to messages saying you’re offline
This was part of Instagram’s push toward mental health and mindful social media usage, especially for teenagers.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/20/22894210/instagram-quiet-mode-notifications-teen-safety
Twitter Begins Testing ‘Flock’ – Private Tweet Sharing
Twitter rolled out a test for ‘Flock’, a new way to share tweets only with a selected group of up to 150 people. This feature, similar to Instagram’s “Close Friends,” was designed to support private engagement, smaller communities, and more meaningful interactions.
Key features:
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Only Flock members can view and reply to these tweets.
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You can edit the Flock list anytime.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/21/twitter-flock-private-group-tweets/
Twitter Expands Misinformation Reporting Tool
In January 2022, Twitter expanded its misinformation reporting tool to more countries, including Brazil, Spain, and the Philippines, after a successful pilot in the U.S., South Korea, and Australia.
Users could now flag tweets they believe are misleading, helping Twitter moderate harmful content more effectively.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/technology/twitter-expands-feature-allowing-users-flag-misleading-tweets-2022-01-17/
Twitter Rolls Out NFT Profile Pictures
Twitter took a big step into Web3 by allowing Twitter Blue subscribers (iOS only) to set NFTs as their profile picture. These avatars appear in a hexagonal shape to distinguish them from standard profile photos and connect to users’ crypto wallets.
This feature added value for NFT owners and tapped into the growing digital collectibles space.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/20/22893087/twitter-nft-profile-picture-blue-subscription-hexagon
Global Social Media Usage Hits 4.62 Billion
According to DataReportal’s 2022 Global Overview Report, January 2022 saw a major social media milestone:
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4.62 billion active users worldwide
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Represents 58.4% of the global population
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A growth of 10.1% year-over-year (+424 million users)
The report confirmed social media’s dominance in global communication and content consumption.
Source: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-global-overview-report
