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Top reply: >What do you think of Facebook-owned products? IG started out like a mobile Flickr in the early days, a place for personal creativity and documentat

Top reply: >What do you think of Facebook-owned products? IG started out like a mobile Flickr in the early days, a place for personal creativity and documentation, but now has become an ad-filled place to peacock, gather likes, and promote. I wonder about the psychological impact on people. His response: >Plenty of studies have confirmed that Instagram is having a terrible effect on the psychology of many people. Also, Instagram gave us The Influencer. That's gotta be up there in the top 10 of worst gifts to the world. TIL that apparently IG used to be a mobile Flickr. But even if that line of thought advanced, would it not have still turned into "an ad-filled place to peacock, gather likes, and promote" personal creativity and documentation?

giancarlostoro 8y ago
Sorta, it had filters you could add to pictures iirc was the biggest thing going for IG. I can't recall if those came from the getgo or after the fact it looked like Flickr.
- girlsOFotoshop 8y ago
  Very accurate, but most of all, Instagram is where the girls are. The filters Instagram supplied to the common end-user brought girls in by the truckload. All of the people that recommended Instagram to me, begore it was well known, before they were acquired by Facebook, all of the people that pushed Instagram by word of mouth were girls, and almost without fail, photogenic girls, or there somewhat less-so friends. This class of girls also went to Snapchat, but for obviously different reasons, in particular, as a pseudo-forward security toy (sexting via app). Something they presumed to be, mostly “secure enough” for the moment. This split, of forward security contrasted against accessible cookie-cutter photoshop filters that place many images on a sentimental pedistal or permit the ability glamourize one-handed, were what precipitated the viral runaway growth hack the differentiated each from other varieties of photo sharing, like flickr.
- twizzlerz 8y ago
  Very accurate, but most of all, Instagram is where the girls are. The filters Instagram supplied to the common end-user brought girls in by the truckload. All of the people that recommended Instagram to me, begore it was well known, before they were acquired by Facebook, all of the people that pushed Instagram by word of mouth were girls, and almost without fail, photogenic girls, or there somewhat less-so friends. This class of girls also went to Snapchat, but for obviously different reasons, in particular, as a pseudo-forward security toy (sexting via app). Something they presumed to be, mostly “secure enough” for the moment. This split, of forward security contrasted against accessible cookie-cutter photoshop filters that place many images on a sentimental pedistal or permit the ability glamourize one-handed, were what precipitated the viral runaway growth hack the differentiated each from other varieties of photo sharing, like flickr.
- derivatives 8y ago
  Very accurate, but most of all, Instagram is where the girls are. The filters Instagram supplied to the common end-user brought girls in by the truckload. All of the people that recommended Instagram to me, begore it was well known, before they were acquired by Facebook, all of the people that pushed Instagram by word of mouth were girls, and almost without fail, photogenic girls, or there somewhat less-so friends. This class of girls also went to Snapchat, but for obviously different reasons, in particular, as a pseudo-forward security toy (sexting via app). Something they presumed to be, mostly “secure enough” for the moment. This split, of forward security contrasted against accessible cookie-cutter photoshop filters that place many images on a sentimental pedistal or permit the ability glamourize one-handed, were what precipitated the viral runaway growth hack the differentiated each from other varieties of photo sharing, like flickr.
  - giancarlostoro 8y ago
    Heh I only joined Instagram for my wife (then a would-be girlfriend) at the time. I do like finding funny videos on it, but otherwise I hardly post. Sometimes I use it to chat with some friends, but if I had them all elsewhere I'd outright delete it.
TAForObvReasons 8y ago
It is possible to be ad-filled without the peacocking or like gathering or promoting. The addition and promotion of social features is a choice that aligns with various KPIs but has huge negative externalities
- longerthoughts 8y ago
  I see influencers as a net negative for society but in terms of getting people to actually engage with advertised products, it's pretty brilliant. Before Instagram, a brand would put out ads with a rotating cast of "characters" (i.e. models, actors) that got people to think "I want to be more like that person and buying this will help", which worked, but lacked a real connection with the "characters". Instagram inverted that model and allows you to follow the characters, become more connected, interact with them, and follow their "tastes". The legacy equivalent would be something like sponsorships for pro athletes, but they've expanded it into domains like fashion, cookware, etc. while adding the interactive component.
swoongoonz 8y ago
I somewhat disagree with his assessment of influencers. Can they be annoying? Yes. Are they providing real value for companies to be able to connect with tribes of people? Yes. The influencer has single handedly upended the advertisement industry and taken money away from traditional media is a big way. I think it's given more jobs to people who don't work on Madison Avenue and maybe don't have technical skills, but can connect with a large audience of people.
- hopfscotch 8y ago
  > providing real value for companies to be able to connect with tribes of people Listen to yourself holy shit
  - floren 8y ago
    I love engaging with brands!!
  - askafriend 8y ago
    Is it not real value for companies to be able to connect with tribes of people that then may become the biggest proponents of your product? Take fashion, a very tribal concept where each subculture has their own take on it. If you're a fashion brand wouldn't you want to find a way to reach the subculture you're a part of? As much as you might want to deny it, marketing matters and more of it is coming online because more people are going online more often. It's just shifting to where the people are. It's easy to dismiss ideas or the way people express them. But if you're going to do it, contribute a complete thought that has value and moves the conversation forward instead of just dropping a "Listen to yourself holy shit". This isn't Reddit.
    - herbst 8y ago
      Been there, done that. However things changed, a lot. If you are not constantly posting (and pushing and click baiting) your posts won't be very visible anymore. The way to get in front of your audience on Facebook is money and that is rather expensive and due to amount of ads users have to experience these days only minimally effective. There are millions of websites, thousands at least specific to any niche, that are happy to take your ad money and provide you with highly effektiv and targetted traffic. This is not only cheaper and more effective but does help the actual Web by financing content providers.
beezischillin 8y ago
I used to use it to put 1:1 crops up of the photos I took because it simply seemed like a pleasant little place to leave my memories. I ended up deleting most of my social media accounts this year, starting with Instagram, the moment I noticed that I keep getting drawn in by a rush of excitement after I uploaded each photo and kept checking for notifications. A lot of these social media sites require high levels of awareness and self-control to use responsibly, in my opinion. I myself struggle with that.

giancarlostoro 8y ago

Sorta, it had filters you could add to pictures iirc was the biggest thing going for IG. I can't recall if those came from the getgo or after the fact it looked like Flickr.

girlsOFotoshop 8y ago
Very accurate, but most of all, Instagram is where the girls are. The filters Instagram supplied to the common end-user brought girls in by the truckload. All of the people that recommended Instagram to me, begore it was well known, before they were acquired by Facebook, all of the people that pushed Instagram by word of mouth were girls, and almost without fail, photogenic girls, or there somewhat less-so friends. This class of girls also went to Snapchat, but for obviously different reasons, in particular, as a pseudo-forward security toy (sexting via app). Something they presumed to be, mostly “secure enough” for the moment. This split, of forward security contrasted against accessible cookie-cutter photoshop filters that place many images on a sentimental pedistal or permit the ability glamourize one-handed, were what precipitated the viral runaway growth hack the differentiated each from other varieties of photo sharing, like flickr.
twizzlerz 8y ago
Very accurate, but most of all, Instagram is where the girls are. The filters Instagram supplied to the common end-user brought girls in by the truckload. All of the people that recommended Instagram to me, begore it was well known, before they were acquired by Facebook, all of the people that pushed Instagram by word of mouth were girls, and almost without fail, photogenic girls, or there somewhat less-so friends. This class of girls also went to Snapchat, but for obviously different reasons, in particular, as a pseudo-forward security toy (sexting via app). Something they presumed to be, mostly “secure enough” for the moment. This split, of forward security contrasted against accessible cookie-cutter photoshop filters that place many images on a sentimental pedistal or permit the ability glamourize one-handed, were what precipitated the viral runaway growth hack the differentiated each from other varieties of photo sharing, like flickr.
derivatives 8y ago
Very accurate, but most of all, Instagram is where the girls are. The filters Instagram supplied to the common end-user brought girls in by the truckload. All of the people that recommended Instagram to me, begore it was well known, before they were acquired by Facebook, all of the people that pushed Instagram by word of mouth were girls, and almost without fail, photogenic girls, or there somewhat less-so friends. This class of girls also went to Snapchat, but for obviously different reasons, in particular, as a pseudo-forward security toy (sexting via app). Something they presumed to be, mostly “secure enough” for the moment. This split, of forward security contrasted against accessible cookie-cutter photoshop filters that place many images on a sentimental pedistal or permit the ability glamourize one-handed, were what precipitated the viral runaway growth hack the differentiated each from other varieties of photo sharing, like flickr.
- giancarlostoro 8y ago
  Heh I only joined Instagram for my wife (then a would-be girlfriend) at the time. I do like finding funny videos on it, but otherwise I hardly post. Sometimes I use it to chat with some friends, but if I had them all elsewhere I'd outright delete it.

TAForObvReasons 8y ago

It is possible to be ad-filled without the peacocking or like gathering or promoting. The addition and promotion of social features is a choice that aligns with various KPIs but has huge negative externalities

longerthoughts 8y ago
I see influencers as a net negative for society but in terms of getting people to actually engage with advertised products, it's pretty brilliant. Before Instagram, a brand would put out ads with a rotating cast of "characters" (i.e. models, actors) that got people to think "I want to be more like that person and buying this will help", which worked, but lacked a real connection with the "characters". Instagram inverted that model and allows you to follow the characters, become more connected, interact with them, and follow their "tastes". The legacy equivalent would be something like sponsorships for pro athletes, but they've expanded it into domains like fashion, cookware, etc. while adding the interactive component.

swoongoonz 8y ago

I somewhat disagree with his assessment of influencers. Can they be annoying? Yes. Are they providing real value for companies to be able to connect with tribes of people? Yes. The influencer has single handedly upended the advertisement industry and taken money away from traditional media is a big way. I think it's given more jobs to people who don't work on Madison Avenue and maybe don't have technical skills, but can connect with a large audience of people.

hopfscotch 8y ago
> providing real value for companies to be able to connect with tribes of people Listen to yourself holy shit
- floren 8y ago
  I love engaging with brands!!
- askafriend 8y ago
  Is it not real value for companies to be able to connect with tribes of people that then may become the biggest proponents of your product? Take fashion, a very tribal concept where each subculture has their own take on it. If you're a fashion brand wouldn't you want to find a way to reach the subculture you're a part of? As much as you might want to deny it, marketing matters and more of it is coming online because more people are going online more often. It's just shifting to where the people are. It's easy to dismiss ideas or the way people express them. But if you're going to do it, contribute a complete thought that has value and moves the conversation forward instead of just dropping a "Listen to yourself holy shit". This isn't Reddit.
  - herbst 8y ago
    Been there, done that. However things changed, a lot. If you are not constantly posting (and pushing and click baiting) your posts won't be very visible anymore. The way to get in front of your audience on Facebook is money and that is rather expensive and due to amount of ads users have to experience these days only minimally effective. There are millions of websites, thousands at least specific to any niche, that are happy to take your ad money and provide you with highly effektiv and targetted traffic. This is not only cheaper and more effective but does help the actual Web by financing content providers.

beezischillin 8y ago

I used to use it to put 1:1 crops up of the photos I took because it simply seemed like a pleasant little place to leave my memories. I ended up deleting most of my social media accounts this year, starting with Instagram, the moment I noticed that I keep getting drawn in by a rush of excitement after I uploaded each photo and kept checking for notifications. A lot of these social media sites require high levels of awareness and self-control to use responsibly, in my opinion. I myself struggle with that.