Meta is once again challenging its rivals by developing a new feature for Instagram called “Peek,” inspired by concepts from BeReal and Snapchat. Peek will enable users to post authentic pictures that can be viewed only once. While Snapchat popularized ephemeral content, BeReal started the trend of sharing unedited, authentic photos. Meta, known for adopting ideas from startups and other tech companies, seems to be following this pattern again.
On Friday, Meta confirmed to the media that Peek is currently an internal prototype and not being tested externally. This confirmation came after reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi first discovered the feature.
Peek is designed as a more transient version of Instagram Stories, which are available for 24 hours. Photos shared via Peek must be taken in real-time with the camera, as users cannot upload images from their gallery. Additionally, editing or adding filters to the photos is not allowed, aligning with the unedited content trend popularized by BeReal.
Peek resembles Instagram’s Candid Stories feature, which began testing in 2022 to compete with BeReal but never rolled out to all users. Candid Stories would send notifications prompting users to capture and share their current activity without editing the image.
Unlike Candid Stories, which required users to post at a specific time each day, Peek offers more flexibility, allowing users to share authentic content at their convenience. This approach might appeal to users who want to share genuine moments without being restricted by a random timer.
Instagram’s new feature could attract users interested in authentic photo-sharing, especially as reports suggest BeReal is losing popularity (a claim BeReal disputes). According to a screenshot shared by Paluzzi, Instagram describes Peek as a way to “share little moments with the people you love.” This feature is likely intended to encourage more diverse content sharing on Instagram, reinforcing its competitive stance against BeReal.
