As TikTok faces a looming ban in the United States, Instagram is stepping up its efforts to capture the attention of users who may soon be looking for an alternative platform.

On January 19, TikTok's future in the US hangs in the balance, following a US Supreme Court ruling upholding a law that would require the app to sell its operations or shut down. With no deal in sight, TikTok has announced it will cease operations in the US by Sunday, despite the law only compelling Apple and Google to remove it from their app stores.

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In response, Instagram has unveiled two new features aimed at boosting the appeal of its Reels platform to TikTok refugees. The first update lets users see which Reels their friends are engaging with, by showing who has liked or added notes to the content. The second update introduces a reply bar, encouraging users to start conversations around the Reels they are enjoying.

These new features are designed to give users more opportunities to have their Reels discovered by people outside their follower base. The changes are currently rolling out in the US, with plans for global expansion at a later date.

Instagram’s move comes as social media platforms race to attract TikTok users, with Instagram looking to leverage its new features to capitalize on the potential void left by the app's shutdown.