Facebook is making Instagram Stories a main part of its app after copying feature from Snapchat

The feature, which is currently being tested in Ireland, lets you post edited pictures and videos that disappear after 24 hours

The stories appear above the news feed, so users can't miss them (Business Insider)

Facebook has ripped Instagram Stories, just months after the Facebook-owned photo-sharing site copied the feature from Snapchat.

Mark Zuckerberg's social network is testing a new feature called Facebook Stories, which lets you post edited pictures and videos that disappear after 24 hours.

It works in the same manner as Instagram Stories, which is almost identical to Snapchat's My Story.

Facebook Stories is shaping up as a major new feature for the site. The stories themselves have pride of place on the Facebook app, appearing as miniature circles floating above the news feed, so you can’t miss them.

Tapping a circle opens a story, and another tap lets you skip it and move onto the next.

However, the feature is currently only available to Android and iOS app users in Ireland.

“Facebook has long been the place to share with friends and family, but the way that people share is changing in significant ways,” the company told TechCrunch. “The way people share today is different to five or even two years ago — it’s much more visual, with more photos and videos than ever before.

“We want to make it fast and fun for people to share creative and expressive photos and videos with whoever they want, whenever they want.”

It’s no secret that Facebook is a long-term admirer of Snapchat, having tried to buy the company for $3 billion back in 2013.

Since that bid was rejected, Zuckerberg’s company has focused on replicating Snapchat’s biggest features.

Instagram Stories launched last August, attracting 150 million daily users in just five months, and a version of Snapchat Stories for WhatsApp – also owned by Facebook – is reportedly also in the works.