Instagram is getting a severe backlash as it attempts to mimic its rival TikTok and incline more towards videos.
From backlash by KarJens (Kardashians/Jenners) to Meta’s first-ever quarterly revenue plunge, Instagram seems to be taking cognisance of the same and is likely to walk back some of its features, reports citing the app’s head Adam Mosseri said.
Instagram’s test version of fullscreen photos and videos will be phased out along with a reduction in the number of recommended posts in the app, according to Platformer, an independent newsletter.
Mosseri, in an interview with the newsletter, said that users are frustrated with the new feed design and the usage data is not great, and the company need to take a “big step back”, regroup, and figure out how it wants to move forward.
Concerning recommendations, Mosseri said that when users see content from accounts they do not follow, they should be delighted to see it. But since that’s not happening, the company will temporarily reduce the amount of recommended posts and accounts. These announcements are, however, not permanent yet, he added.
This comes as users get roiled up with the company displaying more content from unknown creators and not close friends and family. The company, which was originally a photo-sharing app, is also getting a severe backlash, backed by some of the most followed Insta celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian, as it attempts to mimic its rival TikTok and incline more towards videos.
Last week, Jenner posted an Insta story saying, “Make Instagram Instagram again. Stop trying to be TikTok I just want to see cute photos of my friends. Sincerely, everyone.”
Bad tidings for the company did not just end here. Instagram’s parent Meta reported its first-ever revenue decline in June and analysts expect the multinational tech giant’s third quarter growth could plunge even more. Amid the ongoing Instagram criticism, ironically, Meta chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg said at the earnings call that the silver lining for the company is the increase in the number of people watching Reels, a short video format, by almost 30 per cent.
Hence, it would be noteworthy to watch how Meta-owned-Instagram will balance and figure out a way to satisfy its users, who are inclined towards rivals like TikTok and alleged “anti-Insta” app called BeReal, while simultaneously keeping up a strong game!
