Meta is once again venturing into new territory by introducing a feature for Instagram that mimics elements from BeReal and Snapchat. This upcoming feature, called “Peek,” will enable users to share genuine photos that can only be viewed once. While Snapchat pioneered the concept of fleeting content on social media, BeReal popularized the idea of posting raw, unedited photos. True to its reputation for emulating other tech companies and startups, Meta appears to be adopting these trends with Peek.
The social media giant confirmed to Truth Voices on Friday that this feature, initially uncovered by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, is currently an internal prototype and hasn’t been tested externally.
Peek is set to offer a more temporary experience compared to Stories, which remain viewable for 24 hours. A photo shared via Peek must be captured in real-time with your camera, as uploading images from your camera roll won’t be allowed, according to a screenshot shared by Paluzzi. In addition, users won’t be able to edit or add filters to the photos, aligning with the minimalist authenticity promoted by BeReal.
Peek resembles Instagram’s Candid Stories feature, which began testing in 2022 as a response to BeReal. Although the feature didn’t reach all users, it functioned as a BeReal replica by prompting people to capture and share their immediate activities without any edits or filters.
While Candid Stories encouraged users to post at a specified time every day, Peek grants the flexibility to share authentic content whenever they choose. This adaptability could appeal to users who prefer sharing genuine moments on their own schedule rather than adhering to a random timer. Instagram’s fresh take on unedited photo-sharing might attract users, especially given reports suggesting that BeReal is losing popularity, claims that BeReal disputes.
The screenshot from Paluzzi indicates that Instagram views Peek as a way to “share little moments with the people you love.” Instagram likely aims for the feature to inspire users to share more diverse content on the platform as it continues to compete with BeReal.
As with any internal prototype, it’s uncertain when or if Instagram will officially release Peek. If launched, there is also a chance that the feature could undergo changes or be renamed before becoming publicly available.
