Instagram's new feature will let you create groups based on shared interests
It more like how Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble have been using shared interests to help strangers connect.
Instagram seems to be taking a cue from the world of dating apps, but instead of romance, it’s matchmaking friendships.
The company is reportedly working on a feature called “Picks” that’s designed to help users discover shared interests with friends. First spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, Picks is still just an internal prototype and isn’t being tested publicly. But from the screenshots he shared, the idea is straightforward. You choose your favourite movies, books, TV shows, games, and music, and Instagram shows you which friends share your tastes.
The Picks section would live above your DMs, in the same place as Notes and Instagram Maps. It’s not hard to imagine the intent here is to spark conversations, reignite friendships, and turn casual follows into real connections.
Instagram hasn’t spelled out its plans, but the concept lines up neatly with what Instagram head Adam Mosseri promised earlier this year in making the platform more about creativity, connection, and interactive experiences. He said the company would double down on messaging, make content consumption more social, and find fresh ways to help friends connect over the things they discover. Picks feels like a good step in that direction.
If it all sounds familiar, that’s because dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble have been using shared interests for years to help strangers connect. TikTok has interest-based friend suggestions, and even Facebook has played with shared interest groups. Instagram’s plot is to keep it within your existing social circle, using what you love as a conversation starter rather than a matchmaker’s filter.
Of course, not everyone will be excited. Instagram has been accused of overstuffing the app with features people didn’t ask for, from Instagram Maps to the flood of TikTok-like Reels. For some, Picks could feel like just another button to ignore.
And with no timeline for release, or even a guarantee it will launch at all, the feature may stay tucked away in the company’s experimental drawer. It won't be the first time a feature didn't see the light of day, to be honest.
Louis Eriakha
