Instagram is taking a page out of Facebook’s early playbook. The platform just rolled out a new feature designed to help U.S. college students connect with each other on campus.
The update comes only a week after TikTok introduced a nearly identical option, signaling a race among social platforms to own the student directory space.
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Students can now add their school to their profile banner by verifying enrollment through UNiDAYS. Once confirmed, their school name appears on their profile, and they gain access to a dedicated student directory. From there, they can browse other verified students at their university, filtering by class year or scrolling the full list. Instagram says the goal is to make it easier to find classmates and build connections.
The move feels familiar: Facebook launched in 2004 as a Harvard-only directory before opening to other colleges. Instagram’s new feature, and TikTok’s version too, echoes that original idea of digital campus networking.
Participation is optional. Students can decide whether to add their school to their profile, and who gets to see it. Still, critics point out that student directories could raise privacy concerns if misused, since they may make it easier for people to track others online.
With both Instagram and TikTok reviving campus-specific tools, social media may be circling back to its university roots. For brands targeting Gen Z, this could become a new gateway into college communities, one that feels a lot more like the early days of social networking than today’s crowded feeds.