Meta reportedly tests way to secretly watch Instagram stories

Instagram users might soon be able to anonymously view Instagram stories, a new Meta leak revealed.

Social media consultant Matt Navarra shared a screenshot on Threads of an upcoming "Instagram Plus" service for users of the image-sharing app, according to Engadget. The offer for Instagram Plus has apparently been seen by users in the Philippines and Mexico recently, signaling that Instagram is testing it out in a limited capacity before going wide.

Meta confirmed the existence of Plus to Engadget. The service offers several exclusive benefits, but perhaps the most eye-catching one is the ability to "preview" Stories.

In the screenshot Navarra posted, that feature is associated with an eyeball icon with a line through it, suggesting that Instagram Plus users can view a Story without being added to the list of viewers.

Of course, that's not the only feature you get from Instagram Plus. Users who pay for it can also post 48-hour Stories, set up multiple audiences for a Story, see who has rewatched a Story, and more. Pretty much all of the benefits extend to Story usage, as far as we can tell. Given that posting Stories is far more trendy than posting to the grid, that makes sense.