Instagram joins the Twitter and Facebook bandwagon

Just when we thought Instagram was safe from showing us what it thought we wanted to see, it is all set to join Facebook and Twitter to curate content, not according to what we want but according to what we would like to see.

The company announced recently that it will incorporate algorithmic ranking to Instagram so users can see pictures and videos according to their likes and interests rather than in a chronological, real-time order. While users are already used to the algorithmic ranking system in Facebook and now, Twitter, it is unclear if Instagram will make this feature optional like Twitter. Twitter users can choose to turn off the algorithmic ranking system and stick to real-time feeds. While Instagram is facing some backlash from its users regarding this move, it is not quite severe as the backlash that Twitter faced when it announced the same thing a few months back. Maybe, that is why Twitter gave users the option to activate or deactivate it.

There are a lot of running jokes on Twitter, with the hashtag #RIPInstagram trending and mostly a huge outcry from the public who do not want their content curated for them.

While we are on the subject of content being curated on Facebook, Twitter, and pretty soon Instagram, the question arises as to why? While these tech-giants talk about us ‘not missing out something important,’ shouldn’t we be the ones to decide on what is important and what is not? What gives these social media companies a right to decide what content we should we view rather than giving us the freedom to view our favourite content ourselves? It is not like they don’t profit out of ads in these different platforms, but why curate content as well? This is a form on internet censorship that is being forced on us and if there is no option to opt-out of this, pretty much these tech-giants might be attacked with a huge social media boycott and lose it all.