Instagram will shut down swipe up links from August 30, according to reports. Swipe up links in Instagram stories lets users visit external websites directly from the story. According to reports, the swipe up links will shut down from August 30, with Instagram planning to roll out ‘Link Stickers’ to users instead.

App researcher Jane Manchun Wong after first noticing the announcement, warned creators of the upcoming shut down of swipe-up links. The Facebook-owned photo-sharing platform has confirmed to The Verge that it will be rolling out link stickers to creators.

Also read: Facebook to bring voice and video calling to main app

The sticker had been in testing since June this year with a small handful of users. On August 30, it will begin to roll out more broadly. The platform will begin to convert users who currently have access to the swipe-up link to the link sticker starting on August 30, as per the report.

This includes businesses and creators who are either verified or whose follower count meets the threshold (known to be at least 10,000 followers). Instagram said that the link sticker fits in better with the way users use the platform.

One of the key differences is that unlike swipe up stories, users can respond to stories that have a Link Sticker. Currently limited to only users with swipe up privileges, the platform is “still evaluating” rolling it out to more users, as per the report.

Also read: Age of influence

This update will “help us determine whether it’s the right decision before expanding access to more people,” an Instagram spokesperson said as quoted by the report.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW