Instagram

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Website
Name: Instagram
Owner/Maintainer:
Dates: 2010-
Type: social network
Fandom: not applicable
URL: https://instagram.com
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Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service owned by Facebook, Inc. It was created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, and launched in October 2010 exclusively on iOS. A version for Android devices was released two years later, in April 2012, followed by a feature-limited website interface in November 2012, and apps for Windows 10 Mobile and Windows 10 in April 2016 and October 2016 respectively.

Instagram is widely used by fans to share images such as fanart, cosplay, convention photos, etc. Like Tumblr, on Instagram you follow a particular account, which is curated to a dashboard; you can also search the Explore page or browse via scrolling down like on TikTok.

Key characteristics of Instagram as used in Fandom

As a highly visual medium, the kind of work that tends to have fannish visibility on Instagram are visual creators, such as digital artists, videomakers, cosplayers, and celebrity fan accounts that post images/videos of said celebrity. Occasionally fannish merch stores or recommender accounts might also attract a high number of posts and interactions. While from 2018 onwards young fans have taken to many other platforms to promote fanfiction that they have written, Instagram is a notable exception due to its visual format[1].

Some fan accounts retain anonymity or post content from multiple admins or pooled sources. Others tie their fandom account to their real account in the blurbs or post wholly original content.

Examples of Fannish Accounts

Real People

Fandom

In Fanworks

Social Media AU often features Instagram posts and comments made by the characters, either through manipulating real screenshots or using coding (such as work skins on Archive of Our Own) to style parts of the work to look similar to the platform.

Fanfiction

Fanart

References