Fake Instagram, finstagram, finsta, finsta finsta, sinsta, private, priv, double priv...the list of erroneous names for the trend that has become a millennial magnet goes on and on.
It's difficult to pinpoint what exactly prompted this phenomenon, however, rest assured it hasn't plagued your feed. That's because only certain people are allowed to follow a finsta, or at least that's how it's supposed to be, but I'll get into that later. If you're someone living under some sort of concrete rock that prevents internet access, or an utterly sane person, don't fret, here's what's up.
The Emergence
Sadly enough, our parents have infiltrated our world. After the whole Facebook is only for moms conundrum happened, parents have certainly figured out this whole social media thing. Following the invasion of the mid-40s, 5.5inch wielding force, (someone please get that joke) teens have been faced with a decision: log off or evolve. They chose evolution. Instagram used to be this platform for chronicles of debauchery, #ootd (outfit of the day), here's-what-I'm-eating, vacations, rants and everything in between. But as more birth-givers, bosses, and, oh god, teachers began "following" and "sharing," so too declined the allure of these platforms for teens. Until someone came up with the marvelous idea of a finsta.
Finsta: noun;
A finsta is a fake (or secondary) Instagram account. We millennials use this newfound, well, actually not really newfound, platform primarily to, for lack of a broad definition, have the freedom to post whatever we want. Some may have a finsta in an effort to hide the most scandalous of activities from prying eyes, create an alias, or even to simply embarrass themselves. Whatever the purpose, the meaning of a finsta has without-a-doubt been stretched.
How Many Followers Is Too Many Followers?
The point of a finsta is to not only achieve anonymity from parents but also to have some sort of channel for only the closest of friends. Emphasis on the closest. I have literally come across finstas with upwards of 200 followers. That's a lot for just your "closest of friends." But hey, if that's really your inner circle, more power to you! Although if you're the average "finstagrammer," that number probably falls somewhere in the double digits. Ultimately, if you have "embarrassing" things you're willing to share with four busloads of people, maybe an email chain would suffice.
How Far Removed From Reality Does One Have To Be To Make A Finsta For Their Finsta?
Now is where I begin to lose faith in this generation. As far as a finsta finsta goes, teens have begun to seemingly lose trust for their "inner circle." So what better to do than cut 80% of those loyal followers out of the picture. A finsta finsta is primarily followed by one's closest, truest, realest, and most gossipy of friends. A normality amongst these accounts is no more than roughly 10 or 15 followers. I cannot stress the idiocy of this enough. I mean, what do you really think the general population who comes across this finsta finsta account is thinking? Is it possible to be any more transparent? To be blunt, we know what you're doing. You're talking shit about your friends.
Disclaimer
There is a whole lot of fun that goes along with having a finsta. It can be a place to collectivize the craziest, most memorable of photos and videos. This goes without saying, but we need to be more cautious of how we portray ourselves online. I'm not saying to put up a facade, but rather place boundaries. Hey, even I have a finsta. The usernames are the best part. Mine comes from my first ever email address dating back to the 00s. Not a good look.
