Facebook’s Instagram testing college community feature

Screenshot from Instagram

A new Instagram feature lets users join a college-based “community” to connect with other students. 

Instagram has become Facebook’s way to attract younger users. It’s spent a lot of time mimicking popular features from its main rival Snapchat, including adding features like Stories and longer videos through IGTV. Appealing to the college crowd not only hearkens back to Facebook’s roots as a social network for college students, but could also help draw in more young adults.

Instagram verifies a student using information people have publicly shared about their university, the accounts they follow and other connections they have.

Although the communities are intended for current students, it’s not perfect. The app prompted one CNBC reporter to join a college community for the correct alma mater, but register as an active student despite not being one.

The company told CNBC the test is in early phases and there are tools to report inappropriate usage.