The Change.org petition, outlined in a previous blog post on the site, asks Instagram to “Stop trying to be TikTok” and get away from the video/influencer focussed platform and back to its roots of photos of your friends.
Instagram’s chief has responded to the protest, namely chief, Adam Mosseri posted a video reply, explaining that Instagram is “not good” and addressing the concerns with the site. He covers the full-screen feed, which he says is “not yet good” and no one was concerned about. It’s like putting a new lick of paint on an old house. But also, the shift to video, which users were more concerned about. He says that photos are “part of [Instagram’s] heritage” but the full-screen mode he says prioritizes “videos over photos because it’s a more fun experience”. He says that “even if we do nothing” there will be “more video over time” and they are going to have to “lean into that”.
As for recommended feeds, Mosseri says that recommended posts are there to help users to find new content and are one of the “most effective and important” ways for creators to find new audiences, but that you can snooze them if you’re tired of them.
His “explanation” didn’t so much say that things were going to change or improve, but more confirmed users’ fears. Causing a lot of opinions to be shared on the site.
One user said: ″Stop making everything reels. You’re making everyone from journalists, content creators, CEOs, and celebrities agree. It’s now an app for everything you’re advertising, not of my friends and people I think are cool.”
It does call for the idea of balance. If Instagram entirely turns into a marketing marketplace, will it drive users away when the human element is stamped out?