Instagram unveils new interactive stickers for stories

Instagram has rolled out a range of fresh interactive sticker options for its Stories feature, providing users with more ways to express themselves creatively.

Stories have become a popular medium for sharing content on the platform, alongside images, videos, and Reels.

Meta, the parent company of Instagram, confirmed the introduction of these new stickers in a blog post.

Among the notable additions is the Reveal sticker, which allows users to blur the content of their Stories. To view the full story, viewers must send a direct message (DM) to the poster. No approval is required from the poster; once the DM is sent, the viewer can access all the contents of the Story.

Another new feature is the Add Yours Music sticker, enabling Instagram followers to add their preferred music to the poster's Story. Similar to the Add Yours images or Reel sticker, viewers can click on the sticker to create their own Story with the same sticker, along with images and music of their choice.

Instagram Stories now also offers a Frames sticker option, transforming any photo into an instant Polaroid-like print. Additionally, the Cutouts sticker feature allows users to create stickers with cutouts from different images for use in their Stories.

In a separate update, Instagram introduced a new feature for its iOS app aimed at enhancing accessibility. iOS users can now add a lock screen widget that directly opens the Story Camera, enabling them to capture photos or videos and post them as Stories without opening the main Instagram app.

Meta recently announced plans to test features aimed at blurring messages containing nudity to protect teenage users and prevent potential scammers from reaching them. This move follows increasing concerns about the addictive nature of Meta-owned apps and their impact on the mental health of young people.