Why Did Instagram Copy Snapchat? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Why Did Instagram Copy Snapchat?

The CEO says "It's about a format and how you can put your own spin on it."

15
Why Did Instagram Copy Snapchat?
Buffersocial

If you search the hashtag #InstagramStories on Twitter, you will be met immediately with the results of several memes of the logos of social media companies Snapchat and Instagram photo-shopped onto the faces of First Lady Michelle Obama and Melania Trump. Read about the insider to bring you up to speed on the joke and the reason why.

The reason for the joke is simple: Instagram rolled out a "new feature" called Stories, a feature normally associated with Snapchat, onto its platform. Needless to say, that the internet had a bunch to say!

To the uninitiated, the stories feature allows users to create and share ephemeral footage of their day to anyone who cares enough to follow you. In addition, the feature allows users to add notes to the images with colorful doodles, text and emojis. The feature also lets users see the amount of views and by whom they were viewed by. But guess what? Snapchat has the exact same feature and, even better, it was first introduced on its platform. Instagram unabashedly took a page from Snapchat's rhyme book(so to speak).

The Verge caught up with Instagram's CEO Kevin Systrom, who praised the feature, saying Snapchat "deserved all the credit". He explains that "When you are an innovator, that’s awesome. Just like Instagram deserves all the credit for bringing filters to the forefront. This isn’t about who invented something. This is about a format, and how you take it to a network and put your own spin on it. He is basically saying that yes, he took it and there's is not much you or anyone can do about it. The game is in Snapchat's court but guess what; Instagram came to play. The competition for users is on!


A snapshot of Stories from Instagram

For years, competition has been the driving force behind several innovative companies. Its has been alive since the dawn of the internet age. I'll accompany you briefly down memory lane. AIM; an earlier form of online communication was an instant messenger platform which used the proprietary OSCAR instant messaging protocol and the TOC protocol to allow registered users to communicate in real time. You weren't cool if you weren't on it with your friends after school in middle school. Then came Myspace; a social networking site that offered interactive user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, photos and videos. Along came Facebook, which is the social network that killed off Myspace and it's beloved top eight platform forever. Facebook realized an opportunity when Instagram came unto the scene so it purchased it for $1 billion dollars as a means of keeping it under control. Facebook saw the same opportunity or rather competition when Snapchat came around except the CEO and founder Evan Spiegel declined the three billion dollar purchase offer from Mark Zuckerburg. Snapchat is now boasting about 30 minutes of daily time spent from its users with 60% creating new content; whether it is in the form of messaging or new stories.

The future of social media i would say lies in the hands of both Snapchat and Instagram's ability to keep our attention. The competition is on and I am here for it.




Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196551
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18641
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460707
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28219
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments