The History and Impact of Instagram

On August 6^th, 1991, the World Wide Web was released for public use. Since then, entrepreneurs from all over the globe have created hundreds of social platforms. Myspace, Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, Tik Tok, you name it, each of these outlets has changed the way the world operates forever, for better and for worse.

The first photo ever posted on Instagram was released on October 6^th, 2010. Although it was just a picture of someone’s foot featuring a dog, the world would never be the same after. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger created Instagram as a ‘simple way to share good-looking, edited, photographs,’ according to a BBC article. Researchers studying social media attribute the platforms fast growth, essentially, to being in the right place at the right time. Facebook was still working on creating a solid mobile version, while Twitter didn’t have a ‘meaningful’ way to share photos- Instagram killed two birds with one stone. After only two years, the platform acquired over 50 million users and was bought by Facebook. Since then, it has added many new and appealing features such as business accounts, stories, livestreams, ads, and so much more. People were able to see into the lives of their families, friends and even their favorite celebrities.

Instagram has made great strides in the world of communication and has provided people from all different walks of a life the opportunity to share their beliefs, likes and dislikes, artwork, and everything else you could possibly imagine with just a click of a button. When Mr. Systrom and Mr. Krieger created the platform, I doubt they imagined it would amount to this media giant.

As a 20-year-old girl, I have witnessed first-hand the growth and impact that social media, particularly Instagram, has had on not only myself, but the world around me as well. Certainly, being able to keep in touch with friends and family, stay up to date on news, check out recipes or new makeup ideas, and whatever else I do with my time on the app, has been an amazing addition to my life, however, it has definitely had a negative impact as well. Facebook researchers reported in an interview with the Journal that “thirty two percent of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse.” It is argued that the visual nature of such platforms is to blame, but one could argue that only society is to blame for building these norms in the first place. According to a study posted on Science Direct, 63.5% of young adults engaged in at least one deceptive behavior (i.e., body/face editing) in order to gain more likes/followers on Instagram. That same study also showed that individuals with low self-esteem experienced a significant negative impact by like-seeking norms, like a woman with a perfect hourglass figure or a man with a chiseled 6-pack.

Some companies have started social media campaigns to combat the unrealistic beauty standards that have become commonplace on platforms like Instagram. Dove has a #NoDigitialDistortioncampaign to help young people become more confident and to spread body-positivity. Major clothing brands such as Calvin Klein have also begun to employ models of all shapes and sizes. While this is all a step in the right direction, we still have major leaps to take in terms of beauty norms.