Instagram has launched a new feature designed to help college students connect with classmates and others on campus. The rollout comes just a week after TikTok introduced a nearly identical feature, signaling a renewed focus on student communities.
How the Feature Works
Students in the U.S. can now add their college or university to their profile banner. Once the school is added, they gain access to a student directory where they can browse and connect with other verified students.
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Adding a School: Students will see an “Add School” option on their profile. By completing a verification process through the student platform UNiDAYS, their school name will appear on their banner.
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Privacy Settings: Users can decide who is able to see their school affiliation.
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Student Directory: After verification, students can browse a list of classmates. The directory can be filtered by year or explored across the entire school.
Inspired by Facebook’s Early Days
The feature has drawn comparisons to Facebook’s original purpose. When Facebook launched in 2004, it was primarily a networking tool for Harvard students. Instagram and TikTok’s new student-focused options revive this idea by centering on campus connections.
Privacy Concerns
Although the feature may help students expand their social circles, it also raises privacy questions. Having schools and directories linked to profiles could make it easier for others to track individuals online. Instagram has addressed this by making the feature entirely optional—students can simply choose not to add their school.
Mixed Reactions
While some students may welcome the ability to find peers more easily, others may see this as yet another layer added to Instagram’s already crowded app. Whether it becomes widely adopted or fades into the background will depend on how students embrace it in the coming months.
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