Instagram's New Feature for College Students | Campus Connect

Instagram Launches New Feature for College Students

Instagram recently announced the rollout of a new functionality designed to facilitate connections between students attending the same college or university. This introduction follows closely on the heels of a similar feature released by TikTok just last week.

Connecting Students on Campus

The new capability enables students within the United States to incorporate their educational institution into their profile banner. This allows them to then explore a directory of fellow students enrolled at their school.

An “Add School” option will become visible on user profiles. Selecting this initiates a verification procedure, utilizing the UNiDAYS student verification service, to confirm enrollment and display the school affiliation. Users retain control over who can view this school banner.

Accessing the Student Directory

Following verification, students gain access to a directory of other confirmed students. Instagram states this directory is intended to simplify the process of locating classmates and fostering new connections. The directory can be browsed in its entirety, or filtered by academic year.

Echoes of Facebook's Origins

The new college-centric features from both Instagram and TikTok bear a striking resemblance to the initial concept behind Facebook. Both platforms aim to establish a dedicated space for students to connect with peers on campus, mirroring Facebook’s original purpose when it debuted in 2004 as a networking tool for Harvard students.

Development of this Instagram feature was observed as early as last year, making its current launch unsurprising.

Privacy Considerations and Potential Drawbacks

While these features may be welcomed by students seeking to expand their social circles, potential privacy implications should be considered. The ease of locating individuals online could be increased. However, participation is entirely optional, allowing users to maintain separation between their student life and online presence.

Some users may find the addition of this feature to be unnecessary, contributing to the increasing complexity of the Instagram application.

Here's a summary of the key benefits:

• Easier connection with classmates.
• Simplified campus networking.
• Optional participation for privacy.