The journey from Instant-Telegram to modern-day Instagram.

I've got some deep thoughts about Instagram. It was started back in 2010 as a "photo-sharing" platform, which was only available to iPhone users. Then in 2012, they diversified into the Android market, and Facebook was very quick to acquire Instagram for $ 1 billion in the same year. Since then, Instagram has undergone several updates, good and bad, with the latest and most dramatic change being the introduction of "Reels".

    I joined the platform back in 2017, and it's been five years here. This place was way different then. It was informative, constructive, and largely non-distracting. Nowadays, Meta (aka. Facebook) has successfully spoilt the place and those using it. There's a ton of content being created and consumed every day. Instagram holds the top spot in user retention and engagement. There was a time when long-format videos used to rule the internet. Kids these days prefer shorter formats, say less than a minute or two which has put long-format content creators in a difficult position. Reading stuff is almost nonexistent. From school-going kids to retired grandpas, all prefer watching stuff more and reading less. Bloggers like me, who do this for passion are getting kicked out badly. I'm not sure how many of you will read this patiently, but chances are high that many of you would rather watch a 2-minute video that summarises the whole thing than read a 1000-word article.

    Instagram today is a marketplace, adapting itself to everyone using it. There are ads everywhere, in the feed, in stories, in explore and wherever else you name it. The algorithm has grown so powerful that it tailors content to engage with every single user based on their activity. Facebook was always quick to add the latest trends to Instagram, keeping it updated. Instagram Reels is TikTok insinuated into the platform. The purpose of the application is shifting towards business from convenience. Instagram has been promoting reels more lately because of the "swipe-up" habit, which gets habituated once and doesn't let go easily. It magically converts your 2-minute break to a 2-hour waste of time. The saddest part of the story is seeing countless teenagers and young adults getting addicted to it.

    It has been proven that social media exerts immense peer pressure on today's youth and leads to social anxiety and depression. People are in pursuit of impersonating a life they don't live, the luxuries they can't afford and the happiness they can't realise. This is amplified by the posts made by celebrities, who get paid to advertise stuff on Instagram.

    There are a million more things to talk about Instagram as a modern-day social media platform, what it does right and what it doesn't. All I want to convey is "Use it wisely. Do not let kids use Instagram just because it keeps them quiet. If you find it distracting, take a break in the name of social detox. And finally, do not fall prey to the marketing gimmicks."

    I belong to a category of few people who use things based on purpose. I still do not use Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok or whatever else is available. I joined Instagram because it served my purpose back then. Now Instagram's purpose is slowly but steadily drifting away from mine. There might come some point when I discontinue its use. Newer apps like Vero will serve as an apt replacement for what Instagram originally stood for: "a photo-sharing platform".