A social media platform mentioned in the context of creating distorted realities and influencing social behavior, which can be exacerbated by AI-generated content.
entitydetail.created_at
8/16/2025, 2:37:30 AM
entitydetail.last_updated
8/16/2025, 2:40:17 AM
entitydetail.research_retrieved
8/16/2025, 2:40:17 AM
Summary
Instagram is a prominent American photo and short-form video sharing social networking service, currently owned by Meta Platforms. Launched in October 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, it rapidly grew to over 2 billion monthly active users by 2022, allowing them to upload, edit with filters, and share media organized by hashtags and location tags. Initially known for its square aspect ratio, this restriction was eased in 2015, and the platform expanded to include messaging, multi-media posts, and a popular 'Stories' feature. Acquired by Facebook in April 2012 for approximately US$1 billion, Instagram has become a global phenomenon, though it has faced significant criticism regarding its impact on teen mental health, policy changes, alleged censorship, and the uploading of inappropriate content. Its design has also been characterized as 'dopamine-driven' in discussions contrasting online interactions with real-life serotonin-based connections.
Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
Owner
Meta Platforms
Founders
Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger
Headquarters
Menlo Park, California, USA
Service Type
Photo and short-form video sharing social networking service
Key Criticisms
Negative impact on teen mental health, policy changes, alleged censorship, inappropriate content, dopamine-driven nature
Launch Platform
iOS
Supported Languages
32 (including English, Hindi, Spanish, French, Korean, Japanese)
Supported Platforms
iOS, Android, Windows 10, Web, Fire OS
Updated Image Aspect Ratio
1080 pixels
Original Image Aspect Ratio
Square (1:1) at 640 pixels
Monthly Active Users (as of 2022)
2 billion
Daily Stories Users (as of Jan 2019)
500 million
Total Photos Uploaded (as of Oct 2015)
Over 40 billion
Timeline
- Kevin Systrom closed a $500,000 seed funding round for Burbn, the precursor to Instagram. (Source: Web Search Results)
2010-03-05
- Instagram launched for iOS. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2010-10-06
- Reached 1 million registered users. (Source: Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2010-12-01
- Reached 10 million registered users. (Source: Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2011-10-01
- Facebook acquired Instagram for approximately US$1 billion in cash and stock. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2012-04-01
- Android version of Instagram was released. (Source: Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2012-04-01
- A feature-limited desktop interface was released. (Source: Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2012-11-01
- A Fire OS app was released. (Source: Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2014-06-01
- The original square aspect ratio restriction was eased, allowing for 1080-pixel images. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2015-01-01
- Over 40 billion photos had been uploaded to the platform. (Source: DBpedia)
2015-10-01
- An app for Windows 10 was released. (Source: Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2016-10-01
- Reached 1 billion registered users. (Source: Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2018-06-01
- Stories feature was used by 500 million people daily. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, DBpedia)
2019-01-01
- Surpassed 2 billion monthly active users globally. (Source: Web Search Results)
2022-01-01
- Fined 405 million euros by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) for GDPR violations regarding children's data. (Source: Web Search Results)
2022-09-01
- Parent company Meta faced a 1.2 billion euro penalty from the Irish DPC for violating EU digital privacy law. (Source: Web Search Results)
2023-05-01
Wikipedia
View on WikipediaInstagram is an American photo and short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters, be organized by hashtags, and be associated with a location via geographical tagging. Posts can be shared publicly or with preapproved followers. Users can browse other users' content by tags and locations, view trending content, like photos, and follow other users to add their content to a personal feed. A Meta-operated image-centric social media platform, it is available on iOS, Android, Windows 10, and the web. Users can take photos and edit them using built-in filters and other tools, then share them on other social media platforms like Facebook. It supports 32 languages including English, Hindi, Spanish, French, Korean, and Japanese. Instagram was originally distinguished by allowing content to be framed only in a square (1:1) aspect ratio of 640 pixels to match the display width of the iPhone at the time. In 2015, this restriction was eased with an increase to 1080 pixels. It also added messaging features, the ability to include multiple images or videos in a single post, and a Stories feature—similar to its main competitor, Snapchat, which allowed users to post their content to a sequential feed, with each post accessible to others for 24 hours. As of January 2019, Stories was used by 500 million people daily. Instagram was launched for iOS in October 2010 by Kevin Systrom and the Brazilian software engineer Mike Krieger. It rapidly gained popularity, reaching 1 million registered users in two months, 10 million in a year, and 1 billion in June 2018. In April 2012, Facebook acquired the service for approximately US$1 billion in cash and stock. The Android version of Instagram was released in April 2012, followed by a feature-limited desktop interface in November 2012, a Fire OS app in June 2014, and an app for Windows 10 in October 2016. Although often admired for its success and influence, Instagram has also been criticized for negatively affecting teens' mental health, its policy and interface changes, its alleged censorship, and illegal and inappropriate content uploaded by users.
Web Search Results
- Instagram - Wikipedia
Instagram is an American photo and short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters, be organized by hashtags, and be associated with a location via geographical tagging. Posts can be shared publicly or with preapproved followers. Users can browse other users' content by tags and locations, view trending content, like photos, and follow other users to add their content to a personal feed. A Meta-operated [...] Instagram began development in San Francisco as Burbn, a mobile check-in app created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. On March 5, 2010, Systrom closed a $500,000 (equivalent to $682,200 in 2023) seed funding round with Baseline Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz while working on Burbn. Realizing that it was too similar to Foursquare, they refocused their app on photo-sharing, which had become a popular feature among its users. They renamed it Instagram, a portmanteau of instant camera and [...] image-centric social media platform, it is available on iOS, Android "Android (operating system)"), Windows 10, and the web. Users can take photos and edit them using built-in filters and other tools, then share them on other social media platforms like Facebook. It supports 32 languages including English, Hindi, Spanish, French, Korean, and Japanese.
- Instagram | History, Features, Description, & Facts | Britannica Money
Instagram, online social media platform and social network service for photograph and video sharing. The app was launched in 2010 by cofounders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, and it is now owned by Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook. One of the biggest social media platforms in the world, Instagram surpassed two billion monthly active users in 2022. The company’s headquarters are in Menlo Park, California. ## History [...] Users may connect with each other via private message (known as a direct message [DM]), where they can share permanent photos or videos or vanishing photos or videos (similar to Snapchat). Users are able to “follow” each other, with all of the accounts one is following being aggregated into a single feed. The platform also allows for browsing by topic or hashtag, and a user can view a random mix of popular posts. [...] Instagram includes the ability to take photographs or videos in-app and also to edit new or existing photos or videos with the use of text, gifs, icons, and filters that add various lighting effects, distortions, or other features, including hats or cat ears. Images were originally required to be square, 640 by 640 pixels to fit the width of the iPhone. However, in 2015 size restrictions were expanded to 1080 pixels.
- Instagram Statistics: Key Demographic and User Numbers
According to the latest official data, Instagram has 2 billion monthly active users (MAUs) globally. Right now, the country with the largest addressable Instagram ad audience size is India (413.85 million), followed by the United States (171.7 million) and Brazil (140.7 million). 35.97% of the world’s 5.56 billion active internet users regularly access Instagram. 34.6% of the world’s 5.78 billion active mobile phone users access Instagram. [...] In 2025, Instagram is currently ranked 3rd out of all social media networks worldwide, with over 2 billion people using the app each month. Parent company Facebook owns four of the five top-ranked social networks (Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram). Image 10: Most Used Social Media Platforms Worldwide Right now, there are over 5.24 billion social media users globally. Hopefully, that will put some perspective on how dominant some of the players in the table below genuinely are! [...] MAUs – Instagram monthly active users: 2 billion monthly active users access the Instagram app globally. With 2 billion monthly active users Instagram is ranked as the 3rd most popular social network by number of users. In front are Facebook with 3.07 billion, and YouTube with 2.53 billion users. 34.6% of the 5.78 mobile users worldwide access Instagram monthly, exceeding the population in Europe and North America combined.
- 25 Amazing Instagram Features Every Marketers Should Know
Instagram features are constantly evolving, making it more than just a platform for pretty pictures. For marketers, it’s a treasure trove of tools that go way beyond filters and hashtags. Whether you’re editing videos, setting up a shop, or engaging with followers through stories, Instagram’s built-in features offer endless ways to boost your presence and connect with your audience. [...] Instagram is where influencer marketing was born, and it’s still thriving there. In fact, 78% of consumers say creators play a major role in helping them discover new brands. Nearly half of Instagram users shop on the platform weekly – yes, weekly! It’s no surprise that big brands like Estée Lauder invest 75% of their marketing budgets into influencers on Instagram. But here’s the kicker – most influencers and creators still call Instagram home. [...] While TikTok is growing fast, 96% of brands and 88% of creators regularly post Instagram Stories, compared to much lower numbers on TikTok. This means that key opinion leaders aren’t ditching Instagram anytime soon. They’re staying put because Instagram is where their community is deeply rooted. So, if you want to connect with influencers, tap into consumer shopping habits, and keep up with where the top creators are spending their time, Instagram remains a must for marketers.
- Instagram - statistics & facts
As with most social media platforms, Instagram grapples with keeping users and their data safe. In September 2022, Instagram was fined 405 million euros by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) for violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regarding the processing of children’s data. Instagram’s parent company Meta also faced fines as recently as May 2023, when the DPC issued a penalty of 1.2 billion euros due to the violation of EU digital privacy law. [...] Most important social media platforms according to marketers worldwide as of January 2024 Image 87: Most important social media platforms according to marketers worldwide as of January 2024 Most important social media platforms for marketers worldwide 2024 [...] Leading social media websites in the United States as of March 2025, based on share of visits Image 35: Leading social media websites in the United States as of March 2025, based on share of visits U.S. market share of leading social media websites 2025
Wikidata
View on WikidataInstance Of
DBPedia
View on DBPediaInstagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can be shared publicly or with preapproved followers. Users can browse other users' content by tag and location, view trending content, like photos, and follow other users to add their content to a personal feed. Instagram was originally distinguished by allowing content to be framed only in a square (1:1) aspect ratio of 640 pixels to match the display width of the iPhone at the time. In 2015, this restriction was eased with an increase to 1080 pixels. It also added messaging features, the ability to include multiple images or videos in a single post, and a Stories feature—similar to its main competitor Snapchat—which allowed users to post their content to a sequential feed, with each post accessible to others for 24 hours. As of January 2019, Stories is used by 500 million people daily. Originally launched for iOS in October 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, Instagram rapidly gained popularity, with one million registered users in two months, 10 million in a year, and 1 billion by June 2018. In April 2012, Facebook Inc. acquired the service for approximately US$1 billion in cash and stock. The Android version was released in April 2012, followed by a feature-limited desktop interface in November 2012, a Fire OS app in June 2014, and an app for Windows 10 in October 2016. As of October 2015, over 40 billion photos had been uploaded. Although often admired for its success and influence, Instagram has also been criticized for negatively affecting teens' mental health, its policy and interface changes, its alleged censorship, and illegal and inappropriate content uploaded by users.
Location Data
Instagram, شارع الصكوك, مركز دبي المالي العالمي, المركز التجاري, دبي, الإمارات العربية المتحدة
Coordinates: 25.2165926, 55.2815529
Open Map