Instagram’s Link Stickers Get Custom Text and Colour Options

Instagram has improved its newly introduced Link Sticker feature by adding custom text and colour options. Users can now write personalised text via these stickers — instead of just sharing a URL — in Instagram Stories. The colour combination of these stickers can also be changed to improve their visibility against different images and backgrounds. The option to customise Link Stickers was not available when the feature was first introduced widely in October. Instagram had started testing this feature back in June but it was limited to verified accounts and accounts with a large following.

Instagram, the Meta-owned social media platform, announced the inclusion of this feature on Twitter. The Link Sticker feature is currently limited to Instagram Stories. As shown in the posted image, users can enter the sticker text when adding the URL. Also, users can change the Link sticker's colour with a simple tap while placing it in a story.

Previously, Instagram had said that Link Stickers were rolled out globally after seeing demand from the community. This feature has now completely replaced the ‘Swipe Up' feature, which was limited to verified accounts and accounts with at least 10,000 followers. The social media giant, though, says that new accounts will not get immediate access to Link stickers. In addition, accounts that repeatedly spread hate speech and misinformation will be barred from using them.

Instagram has seen the addition of several new features in its effort to reform the platform and make it safer for teens. The latest addition is the 'Take a Break' feature that will send a prompt to users who use the app continuously for a long period. This feature is currently available in the US, Britain, Canada, and Australia. Instagram is also working on the launch of an "educational hub" for parents, which is set to arrive on the platform in March next year.

These changes have come at a time when the photo-sharing social platform and its parent company Meta are facing serious scrutiny following whistleblower Frances Haugen's testimony before a US Senate committee. In the testimony, she said that company executives were aware of their social platform's negative effects on the well-being of teenagers.