Instagram facts for kids
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| Original author(s) | |
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| Developer(s) | Meta Platforms |
| Initial release | October 6, 2010 |
| Operating system |
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| Available in | 32 languages |
| License | Proprietary software with Terms of Use |
Instagram is a popular app for sharing photos and videos. It's also a social networking service owned by Meta Platforms, the same company that owns Facebook.
With Instagram, you can upload your own photos and videos. You can make them look cool using special filters. You can also organize your posts with hashtags and add your location using geotagging. You can choose to share your posts with everyone or just with friends who follow you.
Users can explore content from others by looking at tags and locations. You can also see what's popular, like photos, and follow other users to see their posts in your personal feed. Instagram works on phones (like iOS and Android), computers (Windows 10), and through web browsers. You can even share your Instagram posts on other social media sites like Facebook. Instagram is available in 32 languages, including English, Spanish, and Japanese.
When Instagram first started, photos had to be square. But in 2015, they changed it so you could post photos of different shapes. Instagram also added ways to send messages, share multiple photos or videos in one post, and a "Stories" feature. Stories are short posts that disappear after 24 hours, similar to Snapchat. By 2019, 500 million people were using Stories every day!
Instagram was launched in October 2010 for iOS by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. It quickly became super popular. It had one million users in just two months and reached one billion users by June 2018. In April 2012, Facebook Inc. bought Instagram for about $1 billion. The Android version of Instagram came out in April 2012, and a computer version followed later. By October 2015, over 40 billion photos had been uploaded to Instagram.
Even though Instagram is very successful, some people have worried about its effects on teens' mental health. There have also been talks about its rules, how it looks, and issues with inappropriate content.
Contents
History
Instagram started in San Francisco as an app called Burbn. It was a mobile app where you could check in to places, created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. They soon realized that people really liked the photo-sharing part of their app. So, they decided to focus only on that. They renamed it Instagram, which is a mix of "instant camera" and "telegram."
Early Days and Growth
Instagram officially launched its app for Apple's iOS in October 2010. It quickly became very popular. In February 2011, Instagram received $7 million in funding from investors. By April 2012, it raised even more money, valuing the company at $500 million.
Joining the Facebook Family
On April 3, 2012, Instagram released its app for Android phones. It was downloaded over a million times in less than a day! A few days later, on April 9, 2012, Facebook, Inc. (now called Meta Platforms) bought Instagram for $1 billion. Facebook said it would let Instagram run mostly on its own.
In November 2012, Instagram launched website profiles. This meant people could see Instagram posts from a web browser, not just on their phones.
New Look and Features
In June 2015, the Instagram website got a new, simpler look. It used more of the screen for photos. In April 2016, Instagram released an app for Windows 10 Mobile, and later for Windows 10 computers. In May, Instagram updated its mobile website so users could upload photos directly from their web browser.
On May 11, 2016, Instagram changed its app design. It got a black-and-white look and a new, more colorful icon. In December 2016, Instagram added the ability to "like" comments on posts. You can also turn off comments for your posts if you want.
Big Changes and New Leadership
In April 2018, Instagram added a way for users to download all their data. This was to follow new privacy rules.
IGTV launched in June 2018 as a separate app for longer videos. However, it was later shut down in March 2022 because not many people were using it, and Instagram wanted to focus on shorter videos.
In September 2018, Instagram's founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, announced they were leaving the company. Adam Mosseri became the new head of Instagram in October 2018.
At a Facebook event, Instagram announced it would test hiding the number of "likes" on other users' posts. This test started in Canada in May 2019 and later expanded worldwide. The idea was to help users worry less about how many likes they get and focus more on connecting with friends. Instagram also added new features to help reduce bullying and negative comments.
In August 2019, Instagram also removed the "Following" tab. This tab used to let you see what posts your friends were liking or commenting on. Instagram said it was not used much and some people were surprised their activity was public.
In October 2019, Instagram started limiting how many posts you could see on public profiles if you weren't logged in. You now need to log in to keep browsing.
Instagram also launched a separate messaging app called Threads in October 2019. It was like Snapchat, letting users send private messages and videos to close friends. But this version of Threads was also stopped in December 2021 because most of its features were added to the main Instagram app, and not many people used it.
Recent Updates
In March 2020, Instagram launched "Co-Watching." This feature lets you share posts with friends while on a video call. They sped up this launch to help people connect during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In August 2020, Instagram introduced "Reels." This feature lets you create short videos set to music, similar to TikTok. Instagram also started showing "suggested posts" from accounts you don't follow, based on your interests.
In March 2021, Instagram added a feature allowing four people to go live at once. They also made a new safety rule: adults cannot message teens who don't follow them.
In May 2021, Instagram began letting users add their pronouns to their profile pages in some areas.
On October 4, 2021, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp all stopped working for several hours in a big outage.
In September 2022, Instagram was fined $402 million in Ireland for how it handled the privacy data of young users.
In December 2022, Instagram introduced "Notes." This feature lets users share short text updates (up to 60 characters) with certain people, who can then reply with messages.
In February 2023, Instagram added the ability to browse and post GIFs in comments. Also, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta would start selling blue "verified" badges on Instagram and Facebook.
On July 5, 2023, Meta launched Threads, a new social network connected to Instagram. It's designed for short text posts, photos, and videos, and aims to compete with Twitter.
In April 2023, Instagram permanently removed the "recent" posts option for hashtags. Now, you can only see a selection of "top" posts when you search a hashtag. Instagram says this helps prevent the spread of false information.
Features and Tools
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Users can upload photos and short videos, follow other users, and add locations to their images. You can make your account "private," which means you have to approve anyone who wants to follow you. You can also link your Instagram account to other social media sites to easily share your posts.
In September 2011, the app added new filters, a tilt-shift effect, and higher-resolution photos. Photos were first only square, but since August 2015, you can post portrait and widescreen photos too. Instagram used to have a map feature to show where geotagged photos were taken, but it was removed in 2016 because not many people used it.
Since December 2016, you can "save" posts to a private area in the app. In April 2017, you could organize these saved posts into collections. You can also "archive" your own posts. This hides them from public view but doesn't delete them.
Since February 2017, you can include up to ten pictures or videos in one post, which appear as a swipeable carousel.
In April 2018, Instagram launched "focus mode," which blurs the background of a photo or video while keeping the main subject clear. In November, Instagram started supporting "Alt text" for photos. This adds descriptions for people who are visually impaired, either automatically or manually.
On March 1, 2021, Instagram launched "Live Rooms," letting four people go live together.
In May 2021, Instagram added a new feature for Reels and Stories that allows creators to add closed captions to their videos.
Hashtags
In January 2011, Instagram added hashtags. These help users find photos and other users with similar interests. Instagram encourages users to use specific and relevant tags.
Users on Instagram have created popular "trends" using hashtags. For example, #SelfieSunday is when users post selfies on Sundays. #MotivationMonday is for motivational photos, and #ThrowbackThursday is for old photos.
In December 2017, Instagram started letting users follow hashtags. This shows relevant posts about that topic in their feeds. The ability to search "Recent" hashtags was temporarily turned off during the 2020 U.S. elections to stop false information from spreading. In April 2023, the "recent" hashtag search was removed completely. Now, you can only see popular posts using a hashtag.
Explore
In June 2012, Instagram introduced the "Explore" tab. This tab shows popular photos, photos from nearby places, and lets you search. It was updated in June 2015 to show trending tags and places. In April 2016, Instagram added a "Videos You Might Like" channel, and later an "Events" channel for live events. The Explore tab also shows popular Instagram Live videos. In May 2017, it started promoting public Stories from nearby places.
Photographic Filters
Instagram offers many photographic filters that you can use to change how your images look. In February 2012, Instagram added a "Lux" filter, which makes shadows lighter and colors more vibrant. In December 2014, five new filters were added: Slumber, Crema, Ludwig, Aden, and Perpetua.
Video
Instagram first only shared photos, but in June 2013, it added 15-second video sharing. This was seen as Facebook's way to compete with the popular video app Vine. In August 2015, Instagram added support for widescreen videos. In March 2016, the video limit increased to one minute. In February 2017, "albums" were introduced, allowing up to 10 minutes of video in one post.
IGTV
IGTV was a separate app launched by Instagram in June 2018 for vertical videos. You could upload videos up to 10 minutes long, and popular users could upload videos up to an hour long. The app would automatically start playing videos when you opened it. IGTV was shut down in March 2022.
Reels
In November 2019, Instagram started testing a new video feature called "Reels" in Brazil. It's very similar to TikTok, focusing on short videos set to music. Users can make videos up to 30 seconds long using Instagram's filters and editing tools.
In July 2020, Instagram launched Reels in India after TikTok was banned there. The next month, Reels officially launched in 50 countries, including the United States. Instagram even added a Reels button to the home page.
In June 2021, Instagram launched full-screen ads in Reels. These ads look like regular Reels but have a "sponsored" tag.
Instagram Direct
In December 2013, Instagram launched Instagram Direct, which lets users send private messages (often called "DMs"). Users who follow each other can send private messages with photos and videos. If you get a message from someone you don't follow, it's marked as pending, and you have to accept it to see it. You can send a photo to up to 15 people.
In September 2015, Direct got a big update, allowing conversations to be threaded. You could also share locations, hashtag pages, and profiles through private messages. You can reply to messages with text, emoji, or by liking them. A camera inside Direct lets you take and send a photo without leaving the chat. In November 2016, an update allowed messages to "disappear" after being viewed, and the sender would know if the recipient took a screenshot.
In April 2017, Instagram redesigned Direct to combine all private messages into the same chat threads. In May, you could send website links in messages and send photos in their original shape without cropping.
In April 2020, Direct became available on the Instagram website, so you could send messages from your computer.
In August 2020, Facebook started combining Instagram Direct with Facebook Messenger.
In March 2021, a safety feature was added to prevent adults from messaging users under 18 who do not follow them.
In August 2023, Instagram added new privacy settings for DMs. You can now only receive one direct message from accounts you don't follow, and you must approve the message before more can be sent.
Instagram Stories
In August 2016, Instagram launched Instagram Stories. This feature lets users take photos, add effects, and share them to their "story." Images uploaded to a story disappear after 24 hours. Many people noticed how similar this feature was to Snapchat. Instagram's CEO, Kevin Systrom, said that while features might be similar across apps, they often add their own improvements. For example, Instagram Stories let you pause and rewind videos, which Snapchat didn't originally do.
In November, Instagram added live video to Stories. Users could broadcast themselves live, and the video would disappear right after it ended.
In January 2017, Instagram started showing short ads between different stories.
In April 2017, Instagram Stories added augmented reality stickers. In May, they added face filters, letting users put fun visual effects on their faces.
Later in May, Instagram tested a "Location Stories" feature, where public Stories from a certain place are collected and shown on that location's Instagram page. A few days later, Instagram announced "Story Search," allowing users to search for locations or hashtags and see relevant public Stories.
In June 2017, Instagram changed its live-video feature so users could save their live broadcasts to their story for 24 hours. In July, Instagram started letting users reply to Stories with photos and videos, using Instagram effects.
Stories became viewable on Instagram's mobile and desktop websites in August 2017.
On December 5, 2017, Instagram introduced "Story Highlights," also known as "Permanent Stories." These are like regular Stories but they don't disappear. They show up as circles below your profile picture and bio.
By June 2018, Instagram Stories had 400 million daily active users.
Verified Badges on Instagram
Instagram added the verification feature, known as the blue verified badge, in December 2014. This badge helps confirm that an account is real and belongs to a public figure, celebrity, or well-known brand. It helps users know which accounts are official.
In August 2018, Instagram started letting users apply for verification themselves. Before this, Instagram usually decided who got verified. To get a blue badge, an account usually needs to be notable, authentic, unique, and complete.
In 2021, Meta (Facebook's new name) launched paid verification on Instagram. This means some users can pay a fee to get their accounts verified, in addition to meeting Instagram's usual rules.
Advertising
Instagram started showing ads in feeds for users in the United States in October 2013. The first image ads appeared on November 1, 2013, and video ads followed in October 2014.
In March 2015, Instagram announced "carousel ads," which let advertisers show multiple images that users can swipe through.
By March 2017, Instagram had 1 million advertisers on its platform.
In May 2016, Instagram launched new tools for business accounts. These included special business profiles, analytics (called Instagram Insights) to see how posts are doing, and the ability to turn posts into ads.
In November 2018, business accounts could add product links that take users to a purchase page. In April 2019, Instagram added "Checkout on Instagram," letting businesses sell products directly through the app.
In March 2020, Instagram announced it would make big changes to fight false information, hoaxes, and fake news about COVID-19. They said they would remove COVID-19 accounts from recommendations and remove some related content from the Explore page unless it came from a trusted health organization.
In June 2021, Instagram launched a tool for creators to earn money from sales through affiliate marketing. These posts are labeled "Eligible for Commission."
Stand-alone Apps
Instagram has released a few separate apps for special features.
- In July 2014, they released Bolt, a messaging app for quickly sending disappearing images.
- In August 2014, they released Hyperlapse (for iOS), which creates cool time-lapse videos.
- In October 2015, they released Boomerang, a video app that makes short, looping videos that play back and forth.
Fact-checking
On December 16, 2019, Facebook announced it would expand its fact-checking programs to Instagram. This means third-party organizations check information for accuracy. If content is rated as false, it's removed from the Explore page and hashtag pages, and labeled as false. They also use image matching to find other copies of false information.
Algorithm and Design Changes
In April 2016, Instagram changed how posts appear in your feed. Instead of showing posts in the exact order they were shared, an algorithm decides what you see first. Instagram said this was to show you more of the photos from users you like. Many users didn't like this change, but Instagram stuck with it. However, in December 2021, Instagram said it was working on bringing back a way to see posts in chronological order.
Since 2017, Instagram has been able to reduce the visibility of accounts it thinks might be creating fake engagement or spam. This can stop posts from showing up in search results or the Explore section. Instagram has been accused of using this to censor posts in some cases.
In December 2018, Instagram briefly tested a horizontal scrolling feed, similar to Stories. This caused a lot of user complaints, and Instagram said it was a bug or an accidental test.
In November 2020, Instagram replaced the activity feed tab with a new "Shop" tab. The "new post" button was also moved, and a "Reels" tab was added. Instagram said these changes help users find products and short videos. However, many users were unhappy with these changes.
Also in 2020, Instagram added "suggested posts" to your feed. These are posts from accounts Instagram thinks you might like. This feature has caused some debate, with some saying it keeps users glued to their screens and could harm mental health.
Scientific Studies
Effects on Teenage Girls' Mental Health
Internal research from Facebook (Meta's previous name) has shown that Instagram can be harmful to a number of teenagers, especially teenage girls. This research, seen by The Wall Street Journal in 2021, showed that Instagram can be "toxic" for a significant percentage of its users. More than 40% of Instagram users are under 23 years old.
The research found that Instagram had negative effects on the body image of one in three teenage girls. It also showed that two-thirds of teen girls and 40% of teen boys felt worse about themselves due to negative social comparisons on Instagram. The research suggested that Instagram had a greater impact on appearance comparison than other apps like TikTok or Snapchat.
After these reports came out, Facebook announced in September 2021 that it had "paused" plans to create an Instagram product for children under 13.
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress
Some studies have found that Instagram users might show higher levels of sadness and worry compared to people who don't use the app. However, other studies have found that just browsing posts can lead to feelings of sadness, while liking and posting might not have the same effect.
Viewing pictures of celebrities and peers can make women feel more negative. Users who strongly want approval might present themselves falsely on Instagram, which could increase feelings of sadness. However, feeling popular on the app might help reduce these feelings.
Following many strangers on Instagram can lead to more social comparisons and feelings of sadness. Several studies suggest that spending more time on Instagram can increase social anxiety, especially about personal appearance.
Body Image
Instagram users often report feeling more pressure about their appearance and have lower satisfaction with their bodies compared to non-users. Studies show that users who take many selfies before posting, or who edit their selfies a lot, tend to be more concerned about their body image and less satisfied with their bodies. Comments about appearance on Instagram can also lead to lower body satisfaction.
Loneliness and Social Exclusion
Some research suggests that Instagram users might feel less lonely than non-users. However, another study found that not being tagged in an Instagram photo can make people feel left out, especially if they have a strong need to belong.
Other studies have shown a link between Instagram use and being outgoing, life satisfaction, and social support. Some research also shows a connection between Instagram browsing, social comparison, and the fear of missing out (FOMO), which can lead to feelings of sadness. One study found that women who took a break from Instagram for seven days reported higher life satisfaction.
Eating Disorders
Studies comparing Instagram users to non-users have found some differences related to eating habits and body image. For example, boys with an Instagram account might be more concerned about their shape and weight and skip meals more often than boys without an account. Girls with an Instagram account might also skip meals more and have stricter exercise routines. This suggests that Instagram use could potentially affect body satisfaction and eating behaviors for both boys and girls.
User Characteristics and Behavior
Users
After its launch in October 2010, Instagram quickly grew.
- December 2010: 1 million users
- September 2011: 10 million users
- April 2012: 30 million users
- June 2018: 1 billion users
By June 2023, over 50 billion photos had been uploaded to Instagram.
Instagram Stories also grew very fast:
- October 2016: 100 million active users
- June 2017: 250 million active users
In April 2017, Instagram Direct had 375 million monthly users.
Who Uses Instagram?
As of 2014, Instagram users were split evenly between iPhone and Android owners. About 68% of Instagram users are female and 32% are male. Instagram is more popular in cities, with 17% of U.S. adults in urban areas using it, compared to 11% in suburban and rural areas.
Instagram is very popular with younger people, with 90% of its users under the age of 35. From June 2012 to June 2013, the number of Instagram users roughly doubled.
User Behavior
Research shows that posts with people's faces in them often get more "likes" and comments. Also, using filters that make images warmer or brighter can increase engagement. Users are more likely to interact with images that show fewer people and content that doesn't have watermarks, as they see it as more original.
Young people mainly use Instagram to look at posts, especially for social interaction and fun. They are less focused on creating posts themselves, showing that Instagram's visual communication style is popular among young people.
Performative Activism
In June 2020, during the Black Lives Matter movement, Instagram became more widely used for social justice. However, some people have criticized activism on Instagram (and other social media) for being "performative" or too focused on how things look, rather than real action.
Censorship and Restricted Content
Censorship by Countries
Some countries have blocked or restricted Instagram.
United States
In January 2020, Instagram and Facebook removed posts that supported a specific Iranian commander to follow U.S. sanctions. On October 30, 2020, Instagram temporarily removed the "recent" tab on hashtag pages to prevent false information during the 2020 United States presidential election. On January 7, 2021, former U.S. President Donald Trump was banned from Instagram "indefinitely" because of concerns about risks.
China
Instagram has been blocked in China since the 2014 Hong Kong protests. This was because many photos and videos of the protests were shared on the app. Hong Kong and Macau were not affected.
Turkey
Turkey is known for strict Internet censorship and sometimes blocks social media, including Instagram.
North Korea
After a fire incident in a hotel in North Korea on June 11, 2015, authorities blocked Instagram to stop photos of the event from spreading.
Iran
Instagram was one of the last global social media sites available in Iran. It's popular there because it's seen as a way to express freedom. However, Iran has put citizens in prison for posts on their Instagram accounts. The Iranian government blocked Instagram at times during anti-government protests. As of September 2022, Instagram was permanently blocked in Iran, along with WhatsApp.
Cuba
The Cuban government blocked access to several social media platforms, including Instagram, to control the spread of information during the 2021 Cuban protests.
Russia
On March 11, 2022, Russia announced it would ban Instagram. The ban took effect on March 14, causing almost 80 million users to lose access.
Statistics
As of March 3, 2024, the most followed person on Instagram is Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo, with over 623 million followers. As of January 7, 2023, the most-liked photo on Instagram is a series of photos from football player Lionel Messi celebrating his team winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup. That post has over 74 million likes.
In 2022, Instagram was the second most downloaded mobile app of the year.
System
Instagram is built using the Python programming language.
Instagram uses artificial intelligence to describe content for people with visual impairments who use screen readers.
Images for kids
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Instagram logo since May 2022
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Older Instagram logo
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Instagram headquarters in Menlo Park
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The Instagram app on an Android phone
See also
In Spanish: Instagram para niños
- List of social networking services
- Criticism of Facebook
- Internet celebrity
- Timeline of social media
