Have you ever scrolled through someone’s profile and accidentally liked a photo from four years ago? Instagram may be working on a way to stop that.
Leaker and reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi posted on X on October 3 about a read-only mode, the app seems to be developing. The feature would essentially turn profile browsing into spectator mode, removing multiple ways to interact with an account.
What would Instagram’s read-only mode allow you to do?
According to Paluzzi, you can browse a profile in read-only mode without liking posts, commenting, sending messages, following the account or viewing its active Stories.
Think of it as a restricted mode where all interaction buttons are locked while scrolling. That means you can scroll through someone’s old posts without worrying about accidentally exposing your late-night curiosity. It could also prevent other engagement signals from appearing when you browse.
The images that Paluzzi shared suggest that it is a concept for Instagram Plus, so there would be an advantage for paying members when it launches. Nothing about pricing or timing has surfaced yet.
Could Instagram’s stealth mode create a bigger problem?
There’s an obvious reason why this feature sounds handy. No one wants to accidentally double-tap a photo from 2019 while deep in someone’s profile, but there’s also a security concern here. If a mode like this makes your browsing less visible, it can be abused for stalking or other harmful behavior.
An Instagram spokesperson told Engadget that the reading mode is only an internal exploration and is not being tested externally at all. Tech platforms are always trying out ideas behind closed doors, and many never reach users. So there is no guarantee that it will ever reach the users.
For now, Instagram only seems to be testing the idea, and whether there will be a premium pass for professional lurkers remains to be seen.
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