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Introduction

Instagram is a photo and video-sharing platform where we can connect with people all around the world. It is a great platform to express ourselves and interact with people. It was founded on 6th October 2010 by Kevin Systrome and Mike Kreiger in San Fransisco. Initially, the purpose of the app was mainly to share photographs taken on mobile phones.

Currently, the owner of Instagram is Mark Zuckerberg. Over a billion people use Instagram. The estimated average of spending time on Instagram is 30 minutes per day.

Now we will discuss a few advantages and disadvantages of Instagram.

Image by Alexander Shatov from Unsplash

Advantages

  1. Improves Connections: Instagram lets us connect and interact with people all around the world.
  2. Entertainment: Instagram is a platform that provides a great deal of entertaining content like dance videos, music videos, comedy videos, memes, jokes, etc.
  3. Knowledge Sharing: It is a platform where we can gain knowledge and learn a lot many new things.
  4. News/Current Affairs: The official News accounts keep us updated with the latest news and current affairs.
  5. Educational Platform: Plenty of educational content is also available on Instagram in form of pictures and videos.
  6. Platform to earn money: It is a great platform to earn money. There are many ways to earn money through Instagram. These are:
    • Selling products
    • Sponsoring brands
    • Monetizing Accounts
  7. Following Passion: Our passion can be expressed through Instagram by starting an account and posting pictures or uploading videos. We have the freedom to upload dance, music, cooking, art, mini travel vlogs, photography, educational content, and many more.

Disadvantages

  1.  Addiction: Instagram has become an addiction for many people. We keep using Instagram for hours without even realizing it. We just keep scrolling through our phones and waste our time, resulting in unproductivity.
  2. Distraction: Instagram is a major cause of distraction from studies and work. Highly addicted people keep taking their phones and open Instagram amidst their work or studies.
  3. Ruins the sleep cycle: People keep using Instagram at night and don’t follow a proper sleep schedule.
  4. Comparing Oneself: People tend to compare themselves with the people they see on social media. This leads to anxiety, the feeling of loneliness, depression, etc.

Image by Claudio Schwarz from Unsplash

Ways to make Instagram more friendly

  1. Reminder: Set a reminder to stop using Instagram after a certain period of time.
  2. Switching off the phone or hiding Instagram app: If we are working or studying, it is better to switch off the phone so that we don’t get distracted. But, for some, it might not be possible for a few reasons, so it is advised to hide the apps that distract us.
  3. Changing one’s Mindset: People must stop comparing themselves with those they see on Instagram. We see only one side of the coin on Instagram. We know only the social media side of a person and not the actual reality of them. So, it’s better to stop comparing ourselves with those on Instagram and be happy & grateful for our life.

Conclusion

Instagram is one of the best applications. It has plenty of benefits if used in the correct way. Instagram helps us in many ways by providing free content. It gives us the freedom to express ourselves and our work. These benefits make Instagram a better application and make people more interactive. On the other hand, the disadvantages of Instagram can be cured and it can be used correctly if we wish to. To conclude, Instagram is a great platform for all people, if used wisely.

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