New patent for Instagram shows links in captions for a fee

When it comes to ideas, some are fascinating while others would not likely be welcomed by many. That's what patents are, ideas that companies are trying to bring to fruition. But the new patent from Instagram seems to belong in the latter category, a new feature listed that lets Instagram accounts enable clickable links by paying.

According to The Verge (via Protocol), the new patent application was spotted recently. The patent shows how users will be able to not only add URLs to a photo caption on Instagram but also 'activate' the link to make it clickable by paying a fee. For what purpose? Well, the idea here is that by doing this Instagram can stop companies from being able to use the platform as an alternate advertising mode without having to pay a fee. You can read the patent's document to find out more.

Of course, how it charges has not been determined but a few methods were mentioned in the document. Instagram could have a flat fee for each link or it could vary based on other criteria. The company could also make it so that only companies are charged a fee, while regular individuals would be spared from it. However, influencers with larger followings would probably be charged a fee too.

Mind you, patents don't always turn into real features, especially since something like this might require approval from regulatory boards. But with Instagram's parent company being Facebook, we won't be surprised if this feature is implemented. With that said, what do you think about the feature? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave for more tech news.