Can Instagram be used for news?

Instagram is a photo and video sharing mass media network owned by Facebook. In October of 2010 the creators of Instagram, Kevin Systrom & Mike Kriegar, launched their app specifically on IOS devices and had about 1 million users. Since then, Instagram has gained over 500 million active users each day, over 1 Billion active users each month, and available on any device that has an internet connection.

Instagram sets their feed up for users to scroll through other users posts, including their own, in chronological order, however sometimes older post seep into your timeline if the user hasn’t already viewed it. On this mass media network, news found on Instagram is unlimited, any individual can go on instagram and search for pages that follow their specific news category that fits their needs.

News on Instagram is both user generated and from news organizations. Citizen journalism is primarily user generated, where they actively provide news through collecting, reporting, and analyzing situations. News organizations come in when their company runs their own specific Instagram page.

However, the news found on instagram is usually a side feature rather than a primary. Users on Instagram usually go on instagram to follow/connect with other people they know or just look at the things they like. For example, when I go onto Instagram, I look for entertainment, basically anything I want. (Emma, Student, COD).

On Instagram and other social media platforms, people want to look at what they want. In that, comes bias through the filter bubble, an algorithmic system used to reinforce our beliefs. Users are also exposed to fake news, In May of 2017, Sunny Co Clothing promoted free swimsuits via Instagram. Instantly, users feeds were ambushed with the repost of the swimsuit. Later on, it was learned that there was never a giveaway in the first place.

Instagram at heart was never meant to be a news sharing source, so if you go to Instagram looking for traditional political news it’s almost non-existent. Although Instagram uses an algorithm that caters to your preferences.

Meaning, if you go looking for ABC news, CNN or CBS news pages on Instagram, and you do so regularly your home screen will begin to be filled with news outlets postings.

Instagram pulls inspiration for some of its functions from other social media apps. For example. Instagram uses the blue check feature, popularized by Twitter as a way of letting its users know that this page is verified, simply put they are who they say they are.

Instagram also adopted Snapchat’s “story” feature. Once you click onto a user’s page, say CNN. If you click on the profile picture it will run a story segment, which is just a short assortment of pictures or videos relaying most recent information/content produced on the page.

More recently Instagram has added a “swipe up” feature it works like a hyperlink. the content shown is usually a teaser of sorts, trying to get you to swipe up thus taking you to a desired destination.

When I asked Walker Markeson, a North Central College communications and marketing major, what type of companies thrive on Instagram? Walker responded,

“The companies that do the best on Instagram are the ones who show you instead of telling you. Think about all the insta models and fitness pages. Once you accrue a big enough following, you’ll get sponsorships from different companies, anything from clothing to energy drinks and supplements. These companies never speak too much, they just pair the product with an appealing pictures/videos.”

I went on to ask Walker, is there a place for traditional political news on Instagram? He Replied,

“Yes, in social media there’s a place for everything. That being said, everything doesn’t work on every social media site. If the content produced doesn’t fit the mechanics on the site, then it’s bound to struggle or go by the wayside. Political news pages will have their audience, but being that Instagram is built for a younger audience, political news pages almost feel unnatural.”

Instagram is mostly known to be for entertainment purposes or to post in order to connect with others, but if someone would go on to Instagram inorder to find news where would they find it? Instagram has a section called explore page, where most of the time a user would find posts that are related to who they follow or the posts they like. There is an option on the top where there are sections such as beauty, tv or movies, sports, gaming and etc.

There is no option for the news, therefore the user would have to either search a hashtag to find the topic they are looking for or follow the local news channels on their pages. I spoke with a UIC student to see where she finds her news on instagram.” I have to search up a specific account in order to find the news, there is no way to search up a specific caption or topic without having to look up a news channel” (Ruqiya, UIC, student).

If you happen to find the news the user is looking for, the sharing part is easier. If a user finds a post that is interesting or newsworthy in order to share they would dm the post to a friend or post it on there story if they really connect with the news. Another student from COD explained that “ if the news is big then multiple celebrities will post about it and usually that how I find my news on Instagram because I use Instagram for entertainment most of the time” (Fareeha, COD, student).

Instagram’s main target is for people to have an easier way to share and connect with others such as family and friends. When it comes to the news content, it’s usually only shared if the news is really important or if someone’s posts about it. If the instagram wants to show a news content it will be posted by actual news channels such as CNN, or ABC News, through hashtags. According to an article by Brandwatch it states that “Posts that include another handle gain 56% more engagement”( Smith, Brandwatch).

Then the instagram user demographic will usually share the posts or comment their opinions under the posts comment section. The demographics for Instagram varies but according to the article by hootsuite they say that “ Users under 35 make up more than 70 percent of Instagram’s more than 800 million active accounts worldwide” (Worthy Hootsuite).