Meta has begun testing a premium subscription for Instagram that allows users to view Stories anonymously, marking a shift toward monetizing everyday user behavior. The feature is currently limited and being tested in select markets, including Canada, Japan, and the Philippines.
Under this subscription, users can watch Stories without their names appearing in the viewer list. Additional features include seeing how many times their own Stories are rewatched, extending Story visibility from 24 to 48 hours, highlighting one Story per week for extra reach, and searching for specific viewers instead of scrolling through a full list.
The move reflects a broader trend across social media platforms introducing paid layers to enhance core features. While services like X Premium and verification subscriptions already exist, this is one of the first attempts to directly monetize how users consume content rather than how they post it.
However, the feature has quickly sparked debate. Critics argue it raises privacy concerns and could encourage behavior users typically keep discreet, with some describing it as “paying for anonymity” or even “monetizing stalking.” Others see it as a natural evolution of platform economics, where convenience and control come at a price.
For now, the test remains limited, and it’s unclear how widely it will be adopted. If successful, Meta could expand the subscription globally, further reshaping how users interact with Instagram’s most popular features.