A New Window into Our Friends’ Online World

Social media has always been about connection — knowing what your friends are up to, what they like, and what they’re talking about. But lately you can learn even more about the activity of your friends through the ‘Friends Activity’ tab on Instagram and TikTok.

This feature tells you the posts, reels and the other videos or post your friends have liked and engaged with. It is like opening a small window into their feed. This feature enables social media users to know what their friends are interested in without indirectly reaching out to them in a direct message or comment.

‘Friends Activity’ has become one of the most discussed social media features as it allows a new form of interaction with your friends and the social media platform itself.

The Curiosity Factor: Why We Love Watching What Others Like

There’s no denying that people have a natural curiosity. We want to know what people, especially our close friends, are interested in. The ‘Friends Activity’ tool is designed just for that. It reveals what people like and comment on, shedding light on their emotions, interests, and even their lifestyle. If a friend is engaging with a lot of travel reels or food content, it is likely that you will get inspired to plan a trip or try a new food.

This tool opens up the possibility of a new kind of conversation, where people can experience, resonate, and find inspiration in what others are participating in.

Issue of Privacy and Pressure

But again this feature has its back-fall too. For some, having their activity visible to others is unsettling. The fear of being watched or judged by someone for one’s preferences is uncomfortable. There is also the possibility of feeling pressure to “like” specific content to keep up an image and mask any unfettered engagements. Sensitive to such concerns,

platforms provide the option to disable the feature or customize the visibility settings. However, there is no avoiding the query on digital boundaries that open social feeds present.

A Step Toward More Connected Scrolling

Although the Friends Activity tab may appear not that important by  it signifies an essential shift in  social media toward shared passions, genuine relationships, and meaningful interactions. While social media feeds may feel like they are purely mechanical creations of an algorithm,

the Activity tab reminds users that feeds can capture the essence of social reality. Ultimately, this functionality serves the purpose of emphasizing the social aspects of social media. Perhaps, this is the change most users have been hoping for.