Snapchat is purportedly looking into a new feature that would allow users tag one another in photo and videos shared in the app.
The ability to tag people in photos and videos is a feature often associated with Facebook and Facebook-owned photo-based social network Instagram.
Snapchat is reportedly testing the feature at the moment.
Twitter user Matt Rappaport first shared the news of the new feature last week.
Rappport tweeted: “You can finally TAG people and instantly add them on @Snapchat FOR THE WIN!!!!”
According to Rappport, users can tag their Snapchat contacts by adding an @ symbol followed by their username.
The option to tag that individual will pop-up within the photo when you start typing.
When you share the photograph, Snapchat will notify the tagged user with a notification to their smartphone.
Tagging a friend also creates a swipe-up menu which showcases the users’ Snapchat handle, username, Bitmoji.
It also includes a shortcut to add them as a friend. This means tagging could be an effective way to push people to your favourite accounts on Snapchat.
For now, it appears Snapchat is testing the feature with a small subset of users.
It’s unclear whether the new feature will become available worldwide in the coming weeks or months.
The news comes as Snapchat pulled the ability to add GIFs from popular moving image repository GIPHY.
The decision was made after users noticed a racist GIF as an option to add to their social media images.
In a statement issued to TechCrunch, the social network said: “As soon as we were made aware, we removed the GIF and have disabled GIPHY until we can be sure that this won’t happen again . . . while we wait for GIPHY’S team to take a look at it.”
Snapchat confirmed that all GIFs available within its application should be rated PG, which means they’re suitable for ages 13 and older.
Only teenagers over the age of 13 are allowed to hold an account with Snapchat.
Snapchat only recently integrated support for GIPHY in late February, enabling users to jazz-up their photos and videos with moving images curated by the team at GIPHY.
Instagram has followed Snapchat’s footsteps and also pulled support for GIPHY.