Instagram has turned into TikTok – and I don’t like it

Instagram has been pushing Reels like there’s no tomorrow

People are sick of constantly being sold to (Canva)

It’s hard to believe now, but when Instagram first launched in 2010 it was sort of the visual equivalent of a Facebook status. Far from the glossy, curated snaps the platform is currently synonymous with, users would share anything and everything with their small follower counts – complete with overly saturated filters and vignette borders.

Soon after, things started to shift on the app, as more and more people started using it and those who set up their accounts early doors were rewarded with bountiful “likes” and followers. Some even sold their handles for what was then an impressive amount.

Whether you like the culture or not, there’s no denying that Instagram was the birthplace of The Influencer. The platform itself had so much influence that everyone wanted a bit of the action. After all, who wouldn’t want to get paid for posting pictures? It was an endless, digital sea of “look at me” (which few of us were immune to).

By default, sales in cameras, tripods and purposely created selfie sticks boomed, as did the creation of filter and layout apps. The ripple effect and the pace at which the movement expanded was, quite simply, phenomenal.

But in a way, that was the beginning of the end. On discovering this revenue stream, Instagram started to sack off product updates for the everyman and focus its attention on building up these micro-communities (from which they could make a tidy profit). Regular users fell by the wayside – as did their likes and reach – and instead, they were hit with a barrage of #AD.

Even to this day, the platform is littered with flaws and glitches: when adding a solid colour background to your Story, you lose the image and have to re-upload; when moving text or GIFs in Stories, you accidentally send it to the back and struggle to re-position the different elements; not every account can access the music functionality and if they can, it’s mostly filled with elevator music and generic “jazz”.

In 2021, no doubt a move by its owner Meta, Instagram couldn’t even be bothered to pretend it wasn’t about consumerism anymore, as it replaced the notification button with the shopping icon. Everyone’s feeds and Stories were regularly interrupted with promoted and shoppable content – so much so, it was impossible to see the posts of people you actually knew.

Then, in a bid to keep up with the ever-popular TikTok, Instagram has been pushing Reels like there’s no tomorrow. Just a quick scroll through your feed now will present a flurry of video content, mostly by accounts you don’t actually follow.

In recent days, a post by @illumitati asking the app to return to its roots and stop copying TikTok has gone viral, with over 1.5million likes and shares from celebs like Kylie Jenner.

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A post shared by ▵✖️tati (@illumitati)

It’s very clear Instagram just doesn’t care about the quality of its service and doesn’t listen to what users want. It has been dying a slow death for years now, but if it’s not careful, it will soon be completely extinct.

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People are sick of constantly being sold to. They want to see their friends’ snaps and for the platform to place more emphasis on the social aspect of social media. Is that too much to ask for?

There is hope for it yet; users are still loyal and hoping for change. It’s like that old school friend you once had loads in common with and have drifted apart from, whom you cannot bring yourself to sever ties with.

If Instagram stops trying to mimic competitors and returns to its USP, it will thrive once more and will see users return in their droves.