Instagram, instagram oh the social media app Instagram. Instagram is defined as ‘the name of a social media service, for taking, changing and sharing photographs and videos.’ (Cambridge, 2020). Instagram gives you the ability to stay up to date in the means of photos and videos, with your friends, family and to whoever you let follow you. The social media app has become on of the biggest and most-used app globally.
My ideology around Instagram has changed drastically, from when I first downloaded the app to now – especially when I left high school. The app at one stage during the end of my high school career felt like more of a chore, then an enjoyment with a constant feeling of pressure and competition. This would be fueled by who would get the most likes and who would have/gain the largest amount of followers. It was starting to impact my mental health, as I was constantly comparing myself to others on the app. When leaving school, and having a moment to realise what is truely important to me, I actually laughed at myself to think I cared so much about who commented on my photos, and how many likes I would get.
I can gladly say though, it has become more of a creative outlet for me now, where I can engage with friends and family and post what makes me happy. This more authentic approach has actually allowed me to contect with like minded people and be more myself with the content that I am sharing with followers.
What affordances does Instagram that allows you to express ourselves on this platform?
- Like and comment
- Post videos/photos
- Instagram stories
- Lives
- Direct message
- Send posts to friends/family
This platform allows you to establish your self in a more creative way then other forms of social media. It allows you to create a feed of images that ‘represent your life’. This is the identy that you portray for others to see. This image you post allows individuals to more seemingly judge you as a person, before meeting you.
As seen above, the largest demographic that access this social media app is between the ages of 18-34. This comes as no surprise as this age bracket is the most tech savvy and social media using generation. However, as statistics show Overall, there’s a mostly even split between the genders with 51% female and 49% male. (Sproutsocial.com, 2020)
The individuals that I believe would be accessing my Instagram page are my close friends and family. However, my account is public so any individuals that like my aesthetic and Instagram feed (both nationally and internationally) could also potentially follow me.
Bibliography
Lecture Slides – Week 4
Dictionary.cambridge.org. 2020. Instagram | Meaning In The Cambridge English Dictionary. <https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/instagram> [Accessed 2 September 2020].
Important Instagram Stats You Need To Know For 2020. Sprout Social. <https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-stats/> [Accessed 1 September 2020].
Omnicoreagency.com. 2020. • Instagram By The Numbers (2020): Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts. <https://www.omnicoreagency.com/instagram-statistics/> [Accessed 2 September 2020].
SearchCIO. 2020. What Is Instagram? – Definition From Whatis.Com. <https://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/Instagram> [Accessed 2 September 2020].
youtube. 2019. Social Media Is Ruining Your Life.<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUbOSxf0uPA> [Accessed 1 September 2020].
Victoria Bobbermien 