Instagram Is Testing a Feature That Lets You Stalk Stories Anonymously — But It’ll Cost You

Summary:

• Meta is testing a paid Instagram subscription allowing anonymous Story views, rewatch analytics, and additional features in select countries.

• Instagram Plus, separate from Meta Verified, focuses on user Stories management and tracking audience activity with advanced tools.

• Debate arises over privacy implications for creators as Meta explores subscription-based features across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

Meta is testing a paid subscription tier for Instagram that would allow users to view Stories anonymously, according to TechCrunch.

The new plan, called Instagram Plus, includes the ability to view a Story without the poster seeing that you viewed it, along with access to rewatch analytics showing how many times people have rewatched your own Stories.

Meta confirmed the test to AFP, noting the subscription is currently rolling out in Japan, Mexico, and the Philippines at prices hovering around $2 per month.

Instagram Plus is separate from Meta Verified and appears focused specifically on how users post, view, and manage Stories.

Interest in Instagram tracking and audience activity tools has also continued to grow alongside these updates. Many users search for solutions like recent followers instagram free services to better understand follower behavior, monitor public account activity, and explore audience trends without relying solely on Instagram’s built-in analytics.

Additional features include the ability to create unlimited audience lists beyond a Close Friends list, extend Stories for an extra 24 hours, spotlight a Story up to once per week, send an animated Superlike on others’ Stories, and search a Story viewer list for a specific account without scrolling through the entire list.

The test comes two months after Meta told TechCrunch it was planning to explore subscription-based features across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. The move follows similar paid tiers already offered by Snapchat and X.

The anonymous viewing feature has already sparked debate online, with users questioning the privacy implications for creators who rely on viewer lists to track engagement.