Last week, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram announced that "we're no longer a photo-sharing app." He believes that people come to Instagram to be entertained and has decided to compete directly for Tiktok’s growing audience rather than concentrate on why people gravitated to the app in the first place. He announced they will be focusing on “creators, video, shopping and messaging.”
That is so disappointing! I really feel your comment about passive vs. active content. I almost always scroll Instagram with my sound off and therefore skip videos most of the time (although the addition of subtitles for some has helped). If Instagram starts showing me more accounts that I do not follow, I will be very disappointed.
I guess I’ve assumed that all of us are scrolling with the sound off…except our husbands? I have started setting my AirPods on the side table so I can put in one earbud and listen/watch reels and stories while we are watching a kid show or something else I’m not interested in. I don’t love it. But the only video accounts I actually follow are ones with talking/subtitles and my reel is a completely different set of videos with all the tiktok dance trends. I don’t want them mixed!
I love the subtitles too! But I definitely prefer a more passive using. Even when I can, I rarely watch with the sound on. That’s not what I’m there for.
I also don't have sound on when I scroll unless I purposely go to my stories feed because those are people I follow. Ugh... I already can't stand the amount of Ads I see on my feed, now more videos too.
I agree. I'm in no way any sort of influencer, but as a user I am getting tired of all the videos that come up. I'm 45, so clearly not their target audience. I need an app I can fit into my increasingly demanding life, not revolve my life around an app.
I think IG is missing the mark. They are forgetting about those of us who helped build the app. We've known for years they were trending towards video, and that was fine. Because there are those of us who like to post an occasional video, even like watching reels sometimes. But we love the storytelling behind a good photo. A random photo. A fun unfiltered photo. I too miss mindless scrolling to catch up with my IRL and Internet friends. I miss a time when every other post wasn't "5 things you need..." with some influencer pointing. Im hoping that once everything settles down there is a place for everyone on the app.
Yes, it feels at the moment like my IG feed is newbie tiktok! I don't have a problem with video on the app as long as Instagram isn't pushing it on me. I prefer when videos are posted because someone thinks a video better tells their story, as opposed to what gets more chances at getting shared by Instagram.
As a fellow ancient user (41), I feel you. I used to like the ad free nature of instagram and the opportunity it gave me to share my growing kids with my family overseas. I DO love the addition of stories, because I used to spend a lot of time thinking if the picture were good enough to be posted, and now when I look at my posts they are only really special moments which I love. But my feed I barely look at any more...it is full of video and junk for people I don't follow. All I want to see are my friends, your posts and Reese's book club.....!! It makes me feel good to hear others that feel the same way. Have a great day!
I’m glad you explained this. As a 43yo mom who likes to look at photos and content of those I follow and share photos occasionally, I find myself scrolling less. Now not makes sense. I’m happy to hear you’ll keep posting as you normally do because I love following your family.
The whole reason why I liked IG was specifically because it WAS a photo sharing app. There are days and times I just want to look at pretty photos. I don't have a lot of opportunity to listen to videos so when I watch them I need captions as I'm watching on silent. And yes, I may be over 40 but I'm not dead. This idea that somehow everything needs to be whatever the kids want is just ridiculous. The kids don't want anything to do with Facebook and that's a behemoth. The kids aren't that jazzed on IG and you're not going to get them by changing it like that. Really, what I think companies forget is rather than being the next TikTok they could just focus on being really good at the thing they are liked for. That would require CEOs to set different types of goals though and I don't believe the maturity is there at the CEO level. They are uninterested in asking their users what they want and would rather tell you what you want. Like you, I'm considering moving my postings to something like a newsletter for our family and friends. I used to write them when I was a lot younger and I loved it. I love sharing my photos and stories with our loves and it saddens me that people have to be participating on IG or Facebook or wherever for them to be able to see our life. I'm not a tiktok person. I don't snapchat. I don't do the things. I take photos. I don't know, maybe it is because I'm older but I feel like I'm constantly being yelled at by apps now and I tend to not use them when I start to feel like that.
I HATE tiktok and do not have an account. I heard about the changes to Instagram and it made me want to instantly delete my account BUT I do follow people (like you) I don't want to loose the updates from. I use my instagram to share photos of my kids with my friends who don't touch FB or don't want to see the political side of me. I love scrolling through looking at friends photos. I do NOT want it to become another tiktok and if it get to be too annoying then I will end up deleting it.
When I first started using Instagram what seems like forever ago (2012), it was for the pictures. But as things have changed, I've built my own collection of friends, family, moms, influencers, and I still follow many photographers. I feel like many of these people are my friends or at least acquaintances. I try to interact with them, engage in their posts, and watch their videos. With this past couple of years or so, I added so many new people that I follow to expand my own view of the world due to things like Me too, BLM and now Covid and politics. It has gotten a bit overwhelming and I feel like I am not seeing some of the posts I would prefer to be seeing. I could change this by sorting through and deleting some of the people I follow. I used to post a bunch, but as my kids have gotten older, I don't know how I feel about posting their lives, so I have put my posts on pause while I figure out what I'd like to be and put out into the world. I know I've changed how I use the app. I used to just scroll through the posts and now all I mostly do is watch stories. I almost never use the reels option, but will watch reels if posted by someone I like to follow. I never ever use the explore page. I don't like change, but I think it is coming whether we want it or not. I will continue to stick around because I feel invested in some of these strangers lives - like you ♥. It makes me happy to follow along in their lives. Thank you for sharing!
Sigh....I hear ya! Did anyone else notice that Facebook (yes, I guess at 41 years I am ancient) also started putting the stories into the your feed? Again, another attempt to interject video entertainment into the normal scroll.
I’ve noticed that and I hate it. I am so over the constant barrage of videos. If I’m scrolling at work, I want to just read stuff. It’s quiet. It’s not disruptive. And there are no ads to skip.
Oh my gosh, FB is becoming worst than Instagram between ads and all of the recommended content. Between that and their already frustrating algorithm, I feel like I rarely see stuff from my IRL friends. :(
YES! I’m guessing it’s because they changed the settings and people can now see when you view their stories, so fewer people were opening stories. If you just watch them on mute in the feed, they don’t “see” that you saw it. Again, it’s adapting to our passive behavior - here allowing us to be a bit more passive because they TRIED to make us less passive and it likely didn’t work.
I personally hate TikTok. Maybe I'm old. I want to see pictures on Instagram and I like that aspect of it. I want to see the things that matter to me and I like(d) that with Instagram it felt more personal. We don't need another TikTok!!! I don't even want the original one!
So much this!!! Tik Tok is an abyss of idiocy in my opinion! My kids consider the information as fact and so much of it is garbage! I much prefer to scroll through friends pics. I get see how their families are growing and maybe some fun ideas for my own family. I’ve recently unfollowed all of the influencers other than Ilana. It has become so artificial and I was buying crap I didn’t need…(self-tanner etc…). I guess I’m old and I hate change with things I like!!!
Ugh. I don't like this. Truthfully, I didn't know much about it until your newsletter. I should say, I didn't *officially* know. But it doesn't surprise me. I'm one of the (few?) people who has refused to join TikTok. Partly because I already spend too much time on social media! I used to always scroll with the sound off and just see what my IRL and internet friends were up to. Then I started embracing stories. Now reels. But like you said, there are specific times I want to scroll reels versus look at people's pictures and read their story.
Most important of all, I completely agree with your comments about IG feeds being chronological!!!
Nooooooo, this bums me out. I have been on IG since 2011 and really do miss the “good old days” of it being photos for photos sake. I left FB and loved that IG was a place you could still share photos and keep in touch. IG definitely feels super cluttered now and I do not enjoy what has lately felt like non-stop ads/forced content… sigh.
The reels are boring honestly. And that’s kind of the point, you keep clicking and swiping waiting for that one gem. I don’t have time for that. I want to unwind by browsing content but it still needs to be interesting.
I don't like Tik Tok. I only have FB and Instagram and mostly check and post on Instagram. I love just the photos. I really hope Instagram doesn't change.
That is so disappointing! I really feel your comment about passive vs. active content. I almost always scroll Instagram with my sound off and therefore skip videos most of the time (although the addition of subtitles for some has helped). If Instagram starts showing me more accounts that I do not follow, I will be very disappointed.
Yes. They should think of the scrolling with sound off people!!!!
I guess I’ve assumed that all of us are scrolling with the sound off…except our husbands? I have started setting my AirPods on the side table so I can put in one earbud and listen/watch reels and stories while we are watching a kid show or something else I’m not interested in. I don’t love it. But the only video accounts I actually follow are ones with talking/subtitles and my reel is a completely different set of videos with all the tiktok dance trends. I don’t want them mixed!
Do people scroll with the sound on?? That sounds super annoying.
I also only watch with sound off and will sometimes watch a video with subtitles. I am NOT on instagram for videos and this whole thing bums me out.
I didn’t even realize I also scroll Insta w my sound off and skip 99% of the videos that are posted on there!
I love the subtitles too! But I definitely prefer a more passive using. Even when I can, I rarely watch with the sound on. That’s not what I’m there for.
I also don't have sound on when I scroll unless I purposely go to my stories feed because those are people I follow. Ugh... I already can't stand the amount of Ads I see on my feed, now more videos too.
I agree. I'm in no way any sort of influencer, but as a user I am getting tired of all the videos that come up. I'm 45, so clearly not their target audience. I need an app I can fit into my increasingly demanding life, not revolve my life around an app.
I think IG is missing the mark. They are forgetting about those of us who helped build the app. We've known for years they were trending towards video, and that was fine. Because there are those of us who like to post an occasional video, even like watching reels sometimes. But we love the storytelling behind a good photo. A random photo. A fun unfiltered photo. I too miss mindless scrolling to catch up with my IRL and Internet friends. I miss a time when every other post wasn't "5 things you need..." with some influencer pointing. Im hoping that once everything settles down there is a place for everyone on the app.
Yes, it feels at the moment like my IG feed is newbie tiktok! I don't have a problem with video on the app as long as Instagram isn't pushing it on me. I prefer when videos are posted because someone thinks a video better tells their story, as opposed to what gets more chances at getting shared by Instagram.
True!
As a fellow ancient user (41), I feel you. I used to like the ad free nature of instagram and the opportunity it gave me to share my growing kids with my family overseas. I DO love the addition of stories, because I used to spend a lot of time thinking if the picture were good enough to be posted, and now when I look at my posts they are only really special moments which I love. But my feed I barely look at any more...it is full of video and junk for people I don't follow. All I want to see are my friends, your posts and Reese's book club.....!! It makes me feel good to hear others that feel the same way. Have a great day!
I prefer nice and quiet.
I’m glad you explained this. As a 43yo mom who likes to look at photos and content of those I follow and share photos occasionally, I find myself scrolling less. Now not makes sense. I’m happy to hear you’ll keep posting as you normally do because I love following your family.
The whole reason why I liked IG was specifically because it WAS a photo sharing app. There are days and times I just want to look at pretty photos. I don't have a lot of opportunity to listen to videos so when I watch them I need captions as I'm watching on silent. And yes, I may be over 40 but I'm not dead. This idea that somehow everything needs to be whatever the kids want is just ridiculous. The kids don't want anything to do with Facebook and that's a behemoth. The kids aren't that jazzed on IG and you're not going to get them by changing it like that. Really, what I think companies forget is rather than being the next TikTok they could just focus on being really good at the thing they are liked for. That would require CEOs to set different types of goals though and I don't believe the maturity is there at the CEO level. They are uninterested in asking their users what they want and would rather tell you what you want. Like you, I'm considering moving my postings to something like a newsletter for our family and friends. I used to write them when I was a lot younger and I loved it. I love sharing my photos and stories with our loves and it saddens me that people have to be participating on IG or Facebook or wherever for them to be able to see our life. I'm not a tiktok person. I don't snapchat. I don't do the things. I take photos. I don't know, maybe it is because I'm older but I feel like I'm constantly being yelled at by apps now and I tend to not use them when I start to feel like that.
I HATE tiktok and do not have an account. I heard about the changes to Instagram and it made me want to instantly delete my account BUT I do follow people (like you) I don't want to loose the updates from. I use my instagram to share photos of my kids with my friends who don't touch FB or don't want to see the political side of me. I love scrolling through looking at friends photos. I do NOT want it to become another tiktok and if it get to be too annoying then I will end up deleting it.
When I first started using Instagram what seems like forever ago (2012), it was for the pictures. But as things have changed, I've built my own collection of friends, family, moms, influencers, and I still follow many photographers. I feel like many of these people are my friends or at least acquaintances. I try to interact with them, engage in their posts, and watch their videos. With this past couple of years or so, I added so many new people that I follow to expand my own view of the world due to things like Me too, BLM and now Covid and politics. It has gotten a bit overwhelming and I feel like I am not seeing some of the posts I would prefer to be seeing. I could change this by sorting through and deleting some of the people I follow. I used to post a bunch, but as my kids have gotten older, I don't know how I feel about posting their lives, so I have put my posts on pause while I figure out what I'd like to be and put out into the world. I know I've changed how I use the app. I used to just scroll through the posts and now all I mostly do is watch stories. I almost never use the reels option, but will watch reels if posted by someone I like to follow. I never ever use the explore page. I don't like change, but I think it is coming whether we want it or not. I will continue to stick around because I feel invested in some of these strangers lives - like you ♥. It makes me happy to follow along in their lives. Thank you for sharing!
I wonder if there is any hope out there for an App that would focus on photo sharing?
I wonder. Interestingly, I think that's what VSCO was before it became a fashion trend.
maybe an app who throws back the first version of instagram? Because VSCO is to artistic for my taste
Sigh....I hear ya! Did anyone else notice that Facebook (yes, I guess at 41 years I am ancient) also started putting the stories into the your feed? Again, another attempt to interject video entertainment into the normal scroll.
oh god, I would hate that. I haven't checked my personal news feed on facebook in years!
I’ve noticed that and I hate it. I am so over the constant barrage of videos. If I’m scrolling at work, I want to just read stuff. It’s quiet. It’s not disruptive. And there are no ads to skip.
I didn't notice the stories into the feed. Ugh!!! Why the keep trying to make us watch videos
Oh my gosh, FB is becoming worst than Instagram between ads and all of the recommended content. Between that and their already frustrating algorithm, I feel like I rarely see stuff from my IRL friends. :(
YES! I’m guessing it’s because they changed the settings and people can now see when you view their stories, so fewer people were opening stories. If you just watch them on mute in the feed, they don’t “see” that you saw it. Again, it’s adapting to our passive behavior - here allowing us to be a bit more passive because they TRIED to make us less passive and it likely didn’t work.
I personally hate TikTok. Maybe I'm old. I want to see pictures on Instagram and I like that aspect of it. I want to see the things that matter to me and I like(d) that with Instagram it felt more personal. We don't need another TikTok!!! I don't even want the original one!
So much this!!! Tik Tok is an abyss of idiocy in my opinion! My kids consider the information as fact and so much of it is garbage! I much prefer to scroll through friends pics. I get see how their families are growing and maybe some fun ideas for my own family. I’ve recently unfollowed all of the influencers other than Ilana. It has become so artificial and I was buying crap I didn’t need…(self-tanner etc…). I guess I’m old and I hate change with things I like!!!
Ugh. I don't like this. Truthfully, I didn't know much about it until your newsletter. I should say, I didn't *officially* know. But it doesn't surprise me. I'm one of the (few?) people who has refused to join TikTok. Partly because I already spend too much time on social media! I used to always scroll with the sound off and just see what my IRL and internet friends were up to. Then I started embracing stories. Now reels. But like you said, there are specific times I want to scroll reels versus look at people's pictures and read their story.
Most important of all, I completely agree with your comments about IG feeds being chronological!!!
Nooooooo, this bums me out. I have been on IG since 2011 and really do miss the “good old days” of it being photos for photos sake. I left FB and loved that IG was a place you could still share photos and keep in touch. IG definitely feels super cluttered now and I do not enjoy what has lately felt like non-stop ads/forced content… sigh.
The reels are boring honestly. And that’s kind of the point, you keep clicking and swiping waiting for that one gem. I don’t have time for that. I want to unwind by browsing content but it still needs to be interesting.
I don't like Tik Tok. I only have FB and Instagram and mostly check and post on Instagram. I love just the photos. I really hope Instagram doesn't change.