Don’t worry – you aren’t missing the rise of a new social network. Instead, ‘Finstagram’ is merely an extension of Instagram itself, populated mainly by the teenage generation.
Since the rise of bloggers and internet fame, social networks like Instagram have been plagued by ‘social rules’ that dictate when to post, how much or little to, and what sort of content should represent you on the image-sharing platform. Along with these rules came an immense pressure on teenagers to appear ‘successful’, or popular, among their peers – judging themselves and others on follower counts and likes per post.
It’s no wonder then, in a world where this became the social norm, that something would have to change at some point or the other. Cue: fake-Instagrams (or ‘Finstagrams’, for short).
Blooming towards the end of 2016, Instagram saw a rise in private accounts from teenagers on the network. These, co-managing with their public profiles, gave the younger generation a safe space to communicate with their nearest and dearest without the risk of any unwanted eyes stumbling across their posts.
It’s ironic, in an age where the rise of bloggers and internet fame is so prominent, that so many are preferring private accounts with no threat of follower counts or likes per post entering into the equation of social gratification. Instead, these profiles usually have as little followers as they can, with only those in the know being other accounts from their immediate friendship groups.
Social networks are sure to follow suit with features specially designed to accommodate this wave of users – last week, Facebook began trialling the inclusion of private profiles on their site, which would allow teenagers more privacy on a social network where the reigning demographic is parents and adults (40.5 years old, to be exact).
What do you think of these? Will you be starting a ‘Finstagram’ of your own? Be sure to let us know below.