[v4dok]

I want to offer a counterpoint to the current consensus in the comments from (my) real-world interactions. In many countries outside of US, Twitter is occupied by a minority audience which is usually in its own bubble. Instagram is much more popular especially in Millenials who are now in the age group where they start to be more politically active and less motivated by the "pure entertainement" side of the social media.

Facebook, is dead for them in terms of engagement because its the "old people" place and discoverability is quite bad outside of groups. I know many people who use Instagram for social/policy commentary in their stories, and its very inefficient because its one-way. Pictures do not allow for proper discussion or easy discoverability of comments.

Even tiktok has better interaction via duets and pushing up new content all the time but conversation is limited.

I believe that instagram is mainstream enough to entice this group into a forum-like experience and drive insane engagement. Currently, if you are not traveling or doing some kind of beauty influencing, instagram is dead and its successor (tiktok) is limited to short videos. There is a legit market for more long-form/term discussion place in that (very important) age group outside of the US especially.

I am bullish on the offer, especially since Twitter seems to be prioritising US.

[dbspin]

Instagram isn't used by most people to 'drive insane engagement'. It's a relaxing place to share pictures and memes - and one that fortunately avoids most of the political insanity which makes other social networks exhausting and polarising. I don't want less 'limited' conversations on instagram. Its a place I look at and post pictures from my life, memories, moments with friends.

Fuck engagement. Fuck the competitive scurrying for likes. Fuck Tiktok. Fuck 'the next' social network. I just want a place to post pictures for my friends and see theirs.

[abhayhegde]

I have often found that participating on Instagram quickly turns into a comparison game with unhealthy results. But the view you expressed feels so healthy and in the right spirit of social media - to share special moments with your friends and family without all the fuss of engagement, likes etc.

The ill-effects of social media were almost depressing and I stopped using them altogether. But this also meant I had almost no one initiate a conversation with me. If you have anything to say about how to best use social media healthily, I'm all ears.

[v4dok]

I guess that is why its a separate app. Its not turning instagram to twitter, but it offers an additional space.

[dbspin]

Here's hoping it doesn't already water down the utility of a service that has been made a great deal less functional by having to imitate Snapchat and Tiktok.

[laratied]

It seems like a completely desperate move to make such a fundamental change to something as wildly successful as Instagram.

I would suspect that zoomers who grew up on Tiktok are going to consume less social media as they age than previous generations. We are all are driven by a thirst for new experiences and a generation that grew up as digital meth heads are not going to be looking for something more powerful than meth.

Meta was probably a decent short Friday over $246.

[petesergeant]

> Currently, if you are not traveling or doing some kind of beauty influencing, instagram

I dunno, it’s a nice little closed network for me. I see updates from friends and family, only they see my updates, Insta has gotten pretty good at surfacing the cat videos I like to watch.

I don’t want to see the opinions of the general public or the political opinions of my friends (I’d much rather get both from professional journalists), and neither show up on my Instagram

[ulfw]

Frankly Groups should not be part of Facebook. Facebook is/should be the 'friends' network. Sharing things among a select group of known people.

Instagram is the public/open network. Share pictures and reels with whoever wants to see them. Groups fits into that more as you rarely have a group among your own friend set, but rather among a group of random individuals with similar interests. Meta has it upside down.

[paganel]

> Pictures do not allow for proper discussion or easy discoverability of comments.

That has become an asset, people have grown tired of endless and pointless discussions.

[brodo]

Same here. A lot of people I know don’t have twitter. Instagram on the other hand is widely popular in my age group. (30 somethings) Twitter has a bad reputation with a lot of people because of Elon Musk. Meta has that too, but Zuckerberg is just not such a hate figure for the average liberal here in Germany as Musk is. Political/activist Instagram is very much a thing (despite what people claim here) and that community will certainly try it, also for the mastodon integration. (there are big leftist mastodon instances in germany like chaos.social)