Readers and content creators have criticised The Independent over its claim that Instagram’s new feature encourages performative reading.
The update lets users add a 20-character book title banner to their profiles. They can then share what they are reading with their followers.
The feature has created a buzz on BookTok. Many users have called it fun and inclusive for the reading community.
However, an article published by The Independent on August 7, 2026, took a different view. Writer Annabelle Nugent described the update as a form of book signalling.
BookTok influencers quickly responded. They warned against gatekeeping books and questioned the idea of performative reading.
The debate has now raised wider questions about what it means to be a modern reader.
What is book signalling?
Book signalling is the practice of using books as an accessory, rather than immersing yourself in their contents.
Part of the wider ideology of social signalling, the act’s purpose is to show others who you are by the books you read.
The idea is not a modern phenomenon, with Victorians using books as an indicator of social standing and the Romans viewing owning an impressive library as a clear mark of wealth.
Nevertheless, the phrase has found a modern purpose in policing readers on the internet.
The new Instagram feature only makes this easier, with The Independent describing the update as “excruciatingly online.”
@zubscovered, a creator on TikTok, reacted with a video discussing how discouraging the article is: “Why do we now have to assume that anybody who shares whatever book they are reading is performative?”
@emsibelle2020 commented: “Arguably every single thing we do is performative. This argument is so boring.”
Others believe the act of performative reading simply does not exist: “If someone is reading the book, then they are reading the book. The reason is unimportant,” added another user.
Are we gatekeeping books?
The criticism of the article has been part of a wider conversation around the gatekeeping of literature, especially in online book communities.
Some users argue there is an increasing elitism sneaking its way into the book world, with trends like ‘You are not a real reader till you have read this book’ normalising the ranking of readers into different categories of superiority.
By dismissing recommendations as trashy and inferior, they say it is reiterating an outdated and potentially dangerous notion that reading is an exclusive practice and not a hobby that everyone can enjoy.
Only furthered by satirical videos mocking those who read in public spaces like coffee shops, the BookTok community believes there is little they can do without being criticised and therefore urge readers to read whatever, and however they want.
Reading is cool
According to The Reading Agency, nearly half of adults in the UK say they struggle to finish a book due to distractions, so performative or not, the new Instagram feature is a crucial tool in making reading cool again, with over 3 billion active monthly users on the platform.
@nataliewulford, a TikTok creator, reiterated under Zubscovered’s post that “exposure to reading and seeing other people reading makes it a normal activity.”
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