Instagram Declares It Is No Longer An App For Sharing Photos
Image via Jimmy Tudeschi / Shutterstock.com
With the rise of TikTok, Instagram has begun to shift its sights to take on the newer social media platform.
In a video posted to his Twitter, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri shares that instead of Instagram stagnating as an app focused solely on sharing photos, it has evolved into a community where users turn to “to be entertained.”
“We are no longer a photo-sharing app,” Mosseri can be heard saying in the video. “The number one reason people say they use Instagram, in research, is to be entertained.”
Already in testing, Instagram aims to work with an algorithm similar to YouTube and TikTok, showing users more recommendations in their feeds rather than just content from accounts they follow. And it makes sense, since the two platforms are Instagram’s biggest competitors when it comes to video.
However, this change isn’t new. In 2016, Instagram had already announced that feeds would cease their reverse-chronological order, favoring a feed suited to individuals’ interests. This follows similar moves by Facebook and Twitter in the early 2010s, much to the dismay of many users who were accustomed to a chronological feed they had curated for themselves, rather than relying on an algorithm to curate it for them.
Changes in Instagram’s messaging have already rolled out after its link to Facebook Messenger, introducing themes, customised emoji reactions, and the Watch Together feature. The introduction of stories, IGTV, and reels over the last few years also indicates this shift towards video has been an idea in the works for a while now.
Changes are coming to video on Instagram 📺
— Adam Mosseri 😷 (@mosseri) June 30, 2021
At Instagram we’re always trying to build new features that help you get the most out of your experience. Right now we’re focused on four key areas: Creators, Video, Shopping and Messaging. pic.twitter.com/ezFp4hfDpf
[via PetaPixel, cover image via Jimmy Tudeschi / Shutterstock.com]
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