A curse or a blessing? For Instagram, it’s both.
If you deliberately choose not to use social media platforms—including Instagram—this article won’t be all that interesting to you. Just keep scrolling down; there you’ll find six more articles from GloriousMe, and we’re sure at least one of them will definitely interest you.
Instagram can be addictive
There are now enough studies showing that social media can lead to addictive behavior. For many people, it is difficult to stop following the constant stream of content, some of which is exceptionally well produced.
It’s tempting to be constantly presented with new topics—fed by an algorithm that never stops learning—that seem interesting and fit into one’s worldview.
“Doom-scrolling”—the incessant scrolling that goes on for hours—is widespread; it often leads to difficulty concentrating, a preference for the virtual world, and can result in serious mental health issues.
Many IT tycoons, who themselves have made their fortunes through the production and distribution of social media, impose a strict ban on social media for their children. The blanket ban on social media for children and teenagers—which some countries have already implemented and many are planning to implement—is long overdue.
When an experienced journalist at The Guardian realizes that spending more time working from home has led her to become addicted to Instagram—to the point where face-to-face conversations have become boring and tedious for her—it’s easy to understand how difficult it is for a child to “resist” this and turn off their cell phone.
Eye Candy
GloriousMe communicates on Instagram and uses it for inspiration and news. We chose this platform and deliberately deactivated our other social media accounts.
Instagram is a highly visual platform and isn’t yet as heavily politicized as other channels. The benefits still outweigh the drawbacks, provided you carefully select the accounts you follow.
Business Model
The business model is simple: The more clicks and likes (thumbs-up), the more success—either directly through product sales or indirectly through partnerships.
Depending on the content, the quality of the comments is important. For example, a company that promotes cosmetics on Instagram wants as many positive comments as possible. A politically motivated content creator isn’t unhappy about receiving many negative comments, as long as they serve the intended purpose. It’s therefore clear that many messages play on fear, envy, or outrage.
Quality Matters
If you carefully select the accounts you follow, Instagram can be a great source of information. Based on its business model, Instagram has so far only offered the “thumbs up” as a way to show approval. After all, for Instagram itself, the only thing that really counts is the number of likes. A negative reaction—”thumbs down”—is currently in the testing phase, but Instagram itself doesn’t seem very optimistic that this new form of quick feedback will be widely implemented.
So what should you do when the content is of high quality but reports on war crimes, the death of a celebrity, or a close relative? How often, in such cases, do you wish for a quick way to respond that would convey grief, protest, or revulsion?
In such cases, it’s a matter of weighing the pros and cons: If you think the source is good and deserves support, giving it a “thumbs up” (the currency) still makes sense if you combine it with an appropriate comment or mark other similar comments as “liked.”
Here’s an example: For several years now, we’ve been following the young American journalist Joey Contino on his Instagram channel: joeycontinonews. This independent journalist focuses on international news with an emphasis on geopolitics, particularly Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Understandably, much of the news covers difficult topics where giving a “thumbs up” seems inappropriate.
Clicks: Give Credit Where Credit Is Due
Joey Contino runs his news channel in accordance with journalistic ethics, emphasizing fact-checking and clear transparency when further verification isn’t possible. He reports promptly and to the point, so we’d like to give his work a “thumbs up.”
Other followers agree, which is why, after four years, he has managed to break the famous 1-million mark. He now has 1.1 million followers on Instagram and TikTok. This, in turn, enabled him to be accredited as a journalist at events such as the current United Nations General Assembly.
This allowed us to follow parts of the important speech given by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski at the UN on our Instagram feed, rather than just reading a single sentence summarizing and commenting on it in a German newspaper.
Politics. Fashion. Recipes. Art. Design.
For these topics, we use Instagram to hear the latest international perspectives and opinions and to see the beautiful things in life.
Some of our favorite accounts include:
Victoria Wolff knows how to showcase her home and garden in the East Hamptons (NY) with such good taste, style, and yet such unpretentiousness that it’s a true joy to watch her live this dream lifestyle and read her insightful comments on family life there.
Sometimes you just need a glass of champagne. But that’s not always possible. When we feel that way and the next glass is still a long way off, we take a look at this account. Jonathan Staunter manages to write about champagne and wine in a bubbly, engaging way. He recommends the occasional nice champagne bar, shares stories from wine trips, or chats with champagne producers. Light reading—guaranteed alcohol-free but always refreshing.
The Jewish chef from London prepares classic Jewish dishes in a dynamic style, with plenty of self-deprecating humor.
Dr. Bing, the U.S. neurologist, has a knack for pointing out—in an entertaining way—the risks that can damage our brains. His posts are always a gentle reminder—for example, to turn off your cell phone, take breaks from social media, and instead spend this time living in the here and now by going for a run, dancing, orlearning a new language.
Can you tell us your favorite Instagram account?
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