Instagram finally catches on to the finsta with its ‘flipside’ feature
More than a decade after the term “finsta” was first popularized by Gen Z, it seems like Instagram might finally be catching on to the trend.
In early December, software engineer Alessandro Paluzzi tweeted internal screenshots of a new Instagram feature called “flipside,” billed as a “new space for just you and your friends” that would allow users to create a secondary profile with its own profile picture, name, and biographical information—essentially a finsta connected to a primary account. That same month, Instagram confirmed that the product was a prototype and not yet available to the public. But according to a video posted (February 19, 2024) on Threads, it seems that users are now encountering the feature in the wild.
The video shows a user demoing their first flipside post. Like Instagram’s current “Close Friends” story function, flipside appears to allow users to choose a select few followers who will be able to view their new finsta-esque account. By swiping down on the original profile, this inner circle can then interact with photos, reels, and videos that are hidden to the general public.
This potential update is in line with a larger, years-long trend of users seeking more private spaces online—and social media sites responding to that demand. Tiktok’s “friend’s only” function lets users control who can see their posts; BeReal’s 2020 release ushered in a whole new era of hot takes about the feasibility of online authenticity; and Instagram’s own Close Friends stories are intended to make posting feel a bit more personal.
Despite the growing popularity of private social media circles, the timing of flipside’s release seems a bit odd. While Instagram stories have been on the rise as of late, the finsta has seemingly fallen out of vogue since its heyday between 2015 and 2018, when many high-school-age users created separate accounts as a place to vent and escape the pressure to curate perfect posts. Today, teens are opting for Instagram photo dumps and private TikToks to house silly content or school-related drama. Many Gen Zers anecdotally report that they simply aged out of the finsta craze.
If Instagram does choose to roll out flipside to its full user base, the feature’s success may depend on whether it can recapture the exciting—and oftentimes rebellious—atmosphere that once characterized the finsta’s rise.
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