Blog Post #4: How Instagram Changed the Way We Communicate

 

Instagram: A Communication Technology I Use Every Day

For the Each One Teach One project, I decided to research Instagram because it is one of the communication technologies that I use the most. I open Instagram multiple times a day, whether I am looking at what my friends are posting, sharing pictures from a trip, or just scrolling through reels when I have free time. Before researching it, I knew Instagram was popular, but I had never really thought about how it was created or how much it has changed communication.

One thing I learned was that Instagram was created in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. They wanted to make it easier for people to share photos through their smartphones. Today that seems completely normal, but before Instagram, sharing photos online was not nearly as simple. People often had to upload pictures from a computer or use websites that were much less user-friendly. Learning about Instagram's history made me realize how quickly technology has changed. It is hard for me to imagine a world where people could not instantly post pictures or videos from their phones.

As I researched Instagram, I started thinking about how much it has changed the way people communicate. Instead of sending a text message to every friend about what you are doing, you can post a story and everyone can see it at once. I know I use Instagram to keep up with people from high school, friends from college, and family members that I do not see very often. Even when I am not actively talking to someone, I still feel connected because I can see what they are doing through their posts and stories.

One thing that interested me was how Instagram turned communication into something that is much more visual. A lot of communication today happens through pictures, videos, memes, and reels instead of long conversations. Sometimes I learn what is going on in someone's life just by seeing a few pictures they posted. In some ways, Instagram allows people to share experiences more quickly than traditional forms of communication.

While Instagram has created a lot of benefits, I also learned about some of its negative effects. One issue is that people usually only post the best moments of their lives. When scrolling through Instagram, it can sometimes seem like everyone is constantly on vacation, hanging out with friends, or doing something exciting. In reality, people are only showing a small part of their lives. I think this can make it easy for people to compare themselves to others, even when those comparisons are not realistic.

Another negative effect is the spread of misinformation. Information travels extremely fast on Instagram, especially through stories and reels. Sometimes people share posts without checking whether the information is actually true. This reminded me of discussions we have had in class about how communication technologies can solve problems while also creating new challenges.

To learn more about Instagram's history, I used Instagram's official website and read about how the app was first developed. The link is: https://about.instagram.com. Reading more about Instagram helped me understand that it is much more than just a social media app. It has changed the way people communicate, share information, market products, and stay connected with others.

Overall, I enjoyed researching Instagram because it is something that is already a major part of my daily life. Before this project, I mostly thought of Instagram as a place to post pictures and watch videos. Now I see it as a communication technology that has completely changed the way people interact with one another. Whether that change is positive or negative depends on how people use it, but there is no question that Instagram has had a huge impact on communication in today's world.