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I'm a 30something curmudgeon, but I have become addicted to their "explore" page or whatever it is. Their algorithms have masterfully created an infinite scroll

I'm a 30something curmudgeon, but I have become addicted to their "explore" page or whatever it is. Their algorithms have masterfully created an infinite scroll of addictive content that generally applies to my tastes. I caught myself a few months ago scrolling through that page for almost 30 minutes before realizing what I had been doing. I now have to be very intentional about not going down that constantly-refreshing feature for more than a few minutes. Anytime I ask my wife what she's doing on her phone, it's almost always Instagram. No more Snapchat, no more Pinterest, and no more "official" Facebook.

cbolton 8y ago
Could you further explain a bit the appeal? I have never used Instagram and I imagine it as scrolling through dozens of pictures of cool stuff people do... Is that it? Do you have "feeds" with pictures that correspond to a specific interest of yours? (Is Instagram actually the best place to find interesting pictures on a range of topics?) Do you post a lot yourself or is it virtually all "consumption"? Would you say the identity of the posters plays a significant role (friends, celebrities... ?) or is it really more about the content? Sorry for the barrage of questions, feel free to ignore any or all of them!
- soared 8y ago
  Not op, but: > Do you have "feeds" with pictures that correspond to a specific interest of yours? (Is Instagram actually the best place to find interesting pictures on a range of topics?) Yes, the explore page has tabs for topics. > Do you post a lot yourself or is it virtually all "consumption"? Both. Consumption of all my different interests from small and major content producers. Then I post my photos to my ~150 friends. > Would you say the identity of the posters plays a significant role (friends, celebrities... ?) or is it really more about the content? Content for me, but I do seek out some specific accounts because I know what to expect.
antpls 8y ago
I'm between 25 and 30 and I find myself in the same situation. I suspect the addiction comes from a cognitive or psychological trait related to sorting and filtering things together. If they show you 5 pictures you don't like much, with 1 picture you like, you want to make that picture "win" against the others. The only tool you are given are : likes, comments and report as spam.

cbolton 8y ago

Could you further explain a bit the appeal? I have never used Instagram and I imagine it as scrolling through dozens of pictures of cool stuff people do... Is that it? Do you have "feeds" with pictures that correspond to a specific interest of yours? (Is Instagram actually the best place to find interesting pictures on a range of topics?) Do you post a lot yourself or is it virtually all "consumption"? Would you say the identity of the posters plays a significant role (friends, celebrities... ?) or is it really more about the content? Sorry for the barrage of questions, feel free to ignore any or all of them!

soared 8y ago
Not op, but: > Do you have "feeds" with pictures that correspond to a specific interest of yours? (Is Instagram actually the best place to find interesting pictures on a range of topics?) Yes, the explore page has tabs for topics. > Do you post a lot yourself or is it virtually all "consumption"? Both. Consumption of all my different interests from small and major content producers. Then I post my photos to my ~150 friends. > Would you say the identity of the posters plays a significant role (friends, celebrities... ?) or is it really more about the content? Content for me, but I do seek out some specific accounts because I know what to expect.

antpls 8y ago

I'm between 25 and 30 and I find myself in the same situation. I suspect the addiction comes from a cognitive or psychological trait related to sorting and filtering things together. If they show you 5 pictures you don't like much, with 1 picture you like, you want to make that picture "win" against the others. The only tool you are given are : likes, comments and report as spam.