The other day I opened up Instagram and noticed that the feed had changed. The feed is now algorithm based, rather than in chronological order. Instagram announced this change a few months ago, and people did not take kindly to it. It looks like the app has finally decided to roll out with the update, and people are again up in arms. This update is a pretty big change that will certainly have large implications, however it is not as big of a deal as users make it out to be.
My personal usage of the app ranges from obsessive, to couldn't bother. Sometimes I get really into posting photos and scrolling through my feed. Other times I just scroll through in moments of boredom. I think that I will take to liking the new algorithm for sorting photos. I get to see the "best" photos that my friends are posting, and my feed will not be spammed by every single post someone makes. I follow enough people where I am not able to keep up with every single post, anyway. This new update will make sure I see the posts that I am most interested in.
I think a lot of people are scared that this update will ruin the app. Users feel that Instagram is one of the "pure" forms of social media. It is not full of annoying rants, memes, and at least less parents use it. I personally enjoy the fact that it is focused only on photos and the occasional video. Facebook tries to be everything, but I think people like Instagram because it is not everything.
I understand the frustration and fear over the update. The Facebook feed is algorithm based, so users are scared that Instagram will become more and more like Facebook. This is a valid fear, but I do not think the Instagram experience will change that much. I think Instagram will still be photo centric, and we will all adjust to the new feed.
Whenever there is a major app over hall, users freak out. Remember when Snapchat got rid of best friends? This says a lot about the generation of smart phone indoctrination. After all, why does everybody get so mad about a phone? There is so much more to life than staring at your phone.
A few months ago, Instagram updated their icon. They got rid of the classic brown icon, and swapped to a new colorful pink one. At the time users were not happy, myself included. However now I do not care about the icon. It was weird at first but now it is all the same. I bet most people feel the same.
The thing about internet outrage is that it is very short lived. People are weary about change, and then adapt and get used to it. I bet we will all forget about the new Instagram feed after a few days. It will become the new norm and people will not care. If you are still mad about it, I suggest turning off your phone and going outside.
