Instagram Now Compatible with Right-to-Left Languages

Instagram now supports languages that read from right-to-left, such as Farsi, Arabic and Hebrew.

As 70 percent of Arabic language phone owners use Android, the social media update hits Android devices first. And with over 60 million active users in North Africa and the Middle East, it seems like high time.

The insanely popular photo and video app supports 36 language options already, but even the ones with non-Latin alphabets, like Chinese and Greek, read left to right.

While you can already find right to left languages in Insta’s comments and captions, the software update will integrate them into system itself. This will effectively make it so everything except the username will appear in the native language.

For Hebrew, Farsi, and Arabic Insta users, the update will be a welcome development. It may even seem a bit overdue. That’s because Instagram had to reconfigure the entire app in order to make it compatible with right-to-left text.

“I’m proud of our efforts to make Instagram one of the most inclusive and diverse platforms in the world,” said Instagram cofounder Mike Krieger in a statement. “With this update we hope even more Arabic, Hebrew and Farsi speakers are able to use Instagram to connect with the people and interests that matter to them.”

Instagram Faces Trouble In Washington

It’s a step in the right direction for building a more global, inclusive brand. But the social media app is facing an uncertain future.

Instagram, along with its parent company Facebook, are in political hot water this week. Their legal counsel faces lawmakers in Washington, D.C. Lawmakers are frustrated with the degree to which Russian actors were able to distribute misinformation on social media platforms. Russians worked social media against itself in an effort to polarize American voters.

The ways and degree to which social media is regulated in the United States are under careful public scrutiny. But global user experience of the app continues to improve.