Instagram's Midlife Crisis: When Photo Sharing Became a Full-Time Job

Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash
Tech giants never know when to stop, and Instagram is living proof of this digital chaos.
Remember when posting a photo was as simple as point, click, filter? Those days are long gone. Now, uploading a single image feels like navigating a complicated choose-your-own-adventure game where every choice leads to more digital clutter.
The Content Creation Trap
Instagram has transformed from a straightforward photo-sharing platform into a monster of engagement-hungry features. Want to post a beach pic? Get ready to soundtrack it, AI-generate a caption, add a poll, fundraise, and basically turn your personal moment into a mini-marketing campaign.
The Millennial Revolt
What happened to authenticity? The app now wants every user to be a content creator, complete with algorithmic prompts and engagement metrics. It’s less about sharing memories and more about performing for invisible internet points.
Digital Exhaustion
The irony is palpable: in trying to keep users engaged, Instagram has made sharing so complicated that it’s become a chore. We don’t need three apps in a trenchcoat; we just want to post a damn photo.
AUTHOR: cgp
SOURCE: The Verge