Instagram Mania

OVERVIEW

In the 21^st century, the use of social media increasing day by day. As we know that social networking is a practice which helps to expand the business or social contacts by making the connection with individuals. It can be done by using social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linked in or many other applications like What’s app, Instagram etc. Instagram is the application which we going to discuss. Its app is rank seven among other apps according to the survey till April 2018. Instagram is the application in which a person can share the photos and videos online.

This social network platform purchased by the facebook in 2012. By this application, a user can edit upload the photos and short videos through their mobile app. The user also has an option of a caption for each of their post and for indexing the post they can use hashtags and location-based geotags which help the other person to search those posts within the application. Each and every post which is shared by the user will appear on the Instagram feeds of their followers and it can be viewed by the public only that particular post which is tagged using hashtags or geotags.

As per the need user having the option of privacy to make the account private by doing that only your followers can view the posts or no other user can allow to follow you without your confirmation. The users who are using this app having an option of like, comment others post and also having the features of conversation through private messages. Photos can be shared on another social media sites also. It is not only a tool for sharing posts or doing conversation but also help in the exploring business.

This application provides companies an opportunity to start a free business account for the promotion of their brand and products. As per the website of Instagram until now more than 1 million advertisers all over the world are using Instagram to share their stories and drive business results. Many people said that they discover new products through this app.

HISTORY OF INSTAGRAM

Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger are the two persons who built this app which known to be Instagram. It was started in San Francisco. Both of them have an idea to create this platform similar to Foursquare but for a few reasons, they turned their attention to the sharing of photos. The word Instagram made of two words where insta means “instant camera” and gram means “telegram”. In iOS, this application released on oct.6,2010 through the iTunes app store. For Android phones, this application released in April.3,2012.

It earns much more attention and platform turns out to be a skyrocketing popularity. The company reported more than 40 million active users in just two years after launch. After that skyrocketed popularity, the app Instagram caught the attention of Facebook and officially purchased the application for $1 billion in the summer of 2012. In starting only photos could be posted on Instagram by the users, but after the sometime the company added a new feature of uploading 15 sec video in 2013.

In 2016 this limit upped to 60 sec. All the photos which are uploaded by the users have to be confined to a square aspect ratio till 2015, but the company changed this and allow the user to upload the post with full size.

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WHAT ARE THE CONTROVERSIES REGARDING THIS APPLICATION? 

In 2012 the company had some sort of controversy due to this sentence which is added to its terms of service policy:-

“To help us deliver interesting paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you”.

Due to this statement, many of the users get the fear of selling their posts but CEO Systron immediately comes into action and ensure their users that the company was not having that type of attention and the language was quickly removed from the policies of the application. In 2013 new controversy arises that Instagram censoring the photos and this censorship was unfairly targeting women’s bodies. Due to this in 2016 they took a decision to shift the pattern of displaying photos on a timeline it shifts from chronological order to algorithm order which held to drew negative feedback.

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF INSTAGRAM IN THE WORLD?

 The application was launched in 2010 in iOS and in 2012 it is launched in androids. This application got skyrocket in popularity within two years. In these two years company reported more than 40 million active users.

Instagram rank 7^th with 813 million active users till April 2018 survey. Instagram accounts for the most followers all over the world in 2018. The user who is using Instagram are predominantly young and many of the users are reported 34 years or younger than that. Instagram reported being the most important social networks of teenage and one of the most visited social networking app among teenagers.

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WHAT ARE THE EDITING TOOLS AND FEATURES?

There are different editing tools and features provide by the Instagram to the user. Instagram having wide ranges of digital filters that help the user to apply on the photos they are uploading it includes vintage or faded look. There various editing features which include LUX, an effect that lightens shadow, darkens highlights and increase contrast, photo tuning tools which help the user to adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, structure, straightness, and tint.

The other features like tilt, shift and vignette effect can also be added to photos. In 2017 Instagram provide a new feature which help to post multiple photos or videos at one time. Addition of the new feature is done in 2016 which is included by inspiring from the snapchat. This feature allows the user to share their moments of the day which disappear after 24 hours. In April, 2017 Instagram stories recorded 200 million users which surpasses user of the snapchat which is their biggest rivals. Instagram also having the feature which help to create custom GIFs and also help to create time-lapse videos and image collage with multiple images.                            

HOW TO USE INSTAGRAM APPLICATION?

The application of Instagram is available on app store for iPhone, iPad and in Google Play for Android devices. A user can install the application from the app store and after installing the app the user can sign up for free and there is an option where a user can put their email address and username and password or can log in by using their Facebook account. The new user can find the people to follow through their contact list and facebook friend list. The icon of this application is displayed on the home screen.

When we open the Instagram app the first thing which appears on the screen are the posts which are followed by the user. There is an option for searching the people whom they are known to be and can also find the celebrities and other accounts. There is explore tab provide the content as per the user activity. Recent activities of the users are displayed on the activity tab.