Instagram Foundation Day 2023 : Celebrating a Decade of Social Media Excellence
Written by : Manikandan R
In the rapidly evolving realm of technology and social connectivity, the way we express our daily experiences and thoughts to a worldwide audience has undergone substantial transformation. Social media has become an intrinsic part of modern communication, transcending geographical boundaries and uniting people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Within this landscape, Instagram stands as a prominent platform, fostering visual storytelling, creativity and community engagement through images and videos, enriching the social media experience.
The arrival of Instagram Foundation day 2023 marks a significant occasion for Instagram, which is one of the most influential and widely used social media platforms globally. Established a decade ago, it’s undeniable that it has fundamentally altered the way we share our lives with the world. This commemoration invites us to delve into the transformative journey that has led to this significant milestone.
History of Instagram:
Born on December 30, 1983, in Holliston, Massachusetts, Kevin Systrom showed an early fascination towards technology and programming. After completing his studies at Stanford University, he joined Nextstop in 2009. Prior to this, Systrom held positions at Google as a corporate development associate and interned at Odeo, a precursor to Twitter (now X).
The inception of Instagram can be traced back to Stanford University, where Systrom met Mike Krieger, a Brazilian software engineer. The concept of Instagram emerged during a joint project they worked on for a location-based photo and check-in startup called Burbn. While, during that period, location-based check-in applications were prevalent, Burbn’s photo-sharing attribute stood out distinctly. At that time, social media-sharing functionality was absent in even the well-known photography apps. So, they recognized the potential for creating an app that combined photography with a social media platform and named it as Instagram (combining the words ‘instant’ and ‘telegram’).
Launch of Instagram App:
The instagram app was launched on October 6th, 2010 for iOS users. In the nascent stages of Instagram’s app launch, the platform witnessed an extraordinary ascent in popularity. The seamless fusion of captivating visuals with a user-friendly interface made instagram an instant hit. Within hours of its launch, thousands of people downloaded the app, signaling the beginning of a social media revolution, ultimately setting the stage for Instagram’s remarkable journey towards becoming a social media giant.
Instagram’s acquisition by Facebook:
In the early years of Instagram's launch, it experienced an explosive rise in fame and influence in the realm of social media. The platform’s innovative, groundbreaking features garnered an impressive and dedicated user base. The appeal of instantly capturing and sharing moments through visuals resonated with people, and its novel features like filters and an intuitive mobile interface made it stand out. Boasting an impressive user base of nearly 27 million by March 2012, the platform made its much-anticipated debut on Android phones in April of the same year. Astoundingly, it surpassed the one-million download milestone within just a single day.
Both Systrom and Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook (now Meta), have previously crossed paths through events at Stanford University. Their communication gained momentum during the initial surge of Instagram’s popularity. In the same month, April 2012, Facebook (now Meta) extended an offer to purchase Instagram for an impressive sum of about $1 billion, a combination of cash and stock. A significant condition of the deal was that Instagram would retain its independent management structure.
Newer Features Added to the App:
Instagram encompasses a variety of features, primarily allowing users with a free account to upload photos and videos through its interface. Users have the choice to set their profiles as public or private. Public profiles grant access to all Instagram users to view photos/videos, while Private profiles enable users to approve who can view their posts. They can navigate trending content and engage with other users’ media by liking or commenting. Following another user means incorporating that user's posts into their feed.
In its initial versions, the Instagram app constrained users to presenting their media in a square aspect ratio, where the height and width of the image were identical. This limitation was in line with the 640-pixel width of the iPhone back in 2010. However, in 2015, this was expanded, allowing users to upload larger media up to 1080 pixels.
Instagram Foundation Day 2023 is a time to raise a toast to a decade brimming with memories, connections, and growth. It underscores that influence of social media in uniting people and serves as a tribute and testament to the remarkable odyssey that Instagram has undertaken from its very inception. Let’s look forward to numerous upcoming years of the Instagram community, each enriched by its continuous ongoing support and innovative features. Cheers to a joyful 10th Foundation day, Instagram!
