Instagram unveiled a direct messaging feature on Thursday that will allow its users to share selfies and photos of adorable puppies privately, as opposed to all of their followers, ABC News reported.
Kevin Systrom, CEO of the Facebook-owned mobile app, introduced Instagram Direct, the photo-sharing service's take on the direct and instant messaging feature.
"Sometimes you want to be able to share not with everyone, but just a specific group," Systrom said at an event in New York City. "We wanted to make this about moments you share with your friends."
Instagram Direct will allow users to share photos with smaller groups of people or with just a single friend.
The direct messaging feature will work in real times, so after sending their photo or video, users will be able to tell which of their friends have viewed their post. They will also be able to chat with friends in real time.
"It's like you're gathering people around a photo or moment and being able to have a conversation around them," Systrom said.
To use the new feature, users can tap the "Direct" tab and then select a friend or up to 15 friends to send the photo or video to. Once the users' friends receive it, they can chat and "like" the photo.
The feature works more like a messaging service, sending push alerts when someone has sends a message. Systrom also addressed privacy issues regarding the service.
He said photos and videos from people the user follows will appear immediately. If they get a photo from someone they don't follow, it will go into their requests folder, letting the user decide if they want to see it.
Instagram Direct comes as a number of social media companies are looking to win in the messaging market. Twitter recently added the ability to send photos in Direct Messages
The new feature app is available to iPhone and Android users with the download of the new version of Instagram app.
