It looks like Instagram is working on its own version of self-destructing messages

App-wrangler Jane Manchun Wong is back again with a newly discovered messaging mode inside Instagram’s code that could point to disappearing messaging coming to the social app. As it stands, you’ll be able to open a dark message window inside the direct message function. Once in that new messaging window, messages can be sent and received, but once you close that message-within-a-message, the content disappears.

Instagram confirmed Wong’s code-diving in a statement, saying, “We’re always exploring new features to improve your messaging experience,” going on to say that the feature was in “early development and not testing externally just yet.” The real question here, however, is do we really need this feature?

https://twitter.com/wongmjane/status/1240754810732724224

With disappearing messaging being a huge hit ever since Snapchat started the trend, it was only a matter of time until Facebook tried again with another messaging app that it owns. Remember back in 2014 when Facebook tried to challenge Snapchat with its own disappearing messenger, Slingshot? Yeah, me neither, but it happened after Snapchat rejected a $3 billion acquisition offer.

That foray into self-immolating messages didn’t last long, but maybe that’s because Facebook tried making a new app for it. With Instagram, it already has a huge user base to adopt the new feature.

Twitter is also working on a new feature that lets users tweet content that will disappear in 24 hours, in an attempt to get more people comfortable oversharing on social media. Great.

What do you think? Would you like to see this feature come to Instagram? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.