To think that instagram has jumped the shark?

[boredyboredy]

I used to really love instagram it as a place to get inspiration, eduction or a point in the right direction to go do some research myself on various topics, but am getting bored of it.

The influencer wars (with some clearly playing the game more than others ), the woke activists who are beginning to believe their own hype (their content becoming about them and how good they are), even the naice art and design accounts that I predominately follow are beginning to be a little lacking.

AIBU to think that insta is in a death spiral? If so (because clearly I have forgotten life before it) where do people find informative and / or creative inspiration outside of it these days. Blogs seem to have died, and facebook is a non starter!

NC because well I am bored!

I just hate how it’s changed. In 2016 when I joined it was all just fun and games - I love love loved Martha happily ever after now it’s an AD infested renovation project and I just miss it 😢

Sorry ShirleyPhallus - a couple of cross wires here. We'll undelete those now.

To those who are wondering about the deletions missed my earlier post, it's over here.

Just to be clear, this isn't a sudden new rule, as someone suggested upthread - it's a short-term solution to a particular situation involving someone who's had a tough time, and which tbh was not showing MN at its best.

@hedgehogpenny has now just popped up as a recommendation. Thanks to I suspect Esther my feed has now got a whole lot happier!

Boredy, how funny you should say that. I've just come from IG, where I had three random likes from hedgehogpenny on recent posts of mine. Never even heard of the account before, but I had a look and now follow!

I can't stand Boastagram as it is full of people showcasing their perfect lives.

It is a shallow, boastful platform for narcissists.

A business acquaintance suggested I look at her page. It was entitled, 'Loving My Life, Living The Dream' and showcased carefully curated photos of this lady and her handsome husband dancing through fields of rose petals; their lavish homes and photogenic tribe of angelic children. Lucky old them but it the olden days this used to be called showing off.

Personally I know the images don't reflect the reality as I am a cynical old fart but no wonder so many younger people suffer from status anxiety and depression.

Someone with big gun solicitors on board then, Kate.

Omg why all the deletions but no reply I site Stuff?

Love motherscuffer

I assume that whoever is doing the deletions isn’t a full-time member of the MNHQ staff and has made more than a few mistakes in deleting so much

I imagine we will get a full, official response from a perm member of the team in the morning

I hope so.

I’m a bit that my post was deleted. But never mind.

Genuinely not Semperdiem - just trying to do the right thing.

F-ing help. Mod/fod is on another holiday! Didn’t they just come back from one last month? Before anyone starts, no I don’t follow them, it comes up on my IG search section!

Hi Babaloo88 - looks like you might have missed the earlier MNHQ posts on the thread.

We were talking amongst other things about striking a balance between the genuine public interest in this new-ish form of exposure, and avoiding personal attacks on individuals who are all feeling their way in a new arena. What you've posted isn't a personal attack, exactly - but it's not really making anyone's lives easier or contributing to the central debate. It's the kind of thing that, if you're on the receiving end of it, feels like someone just having a bash for the sake of it, and which we'd like to see less of, if we're honest.

Sorry to single you out but you did slightly walk into that one

Im not a fangirl in any way but I really don't get the problem with anyone enjoying the benefits of freebies.
I always post pictures/stories and recommendations from the places we visit and tag in the relevant hotel/resort/restaurant/shop in my post. I do this because I enjoy it and it has sparked conversations from other instagram users (some of whom have now become friends)
Obviously I do this for free BUT if someone were to offer me and my family freebies for doing the same thing I always do then damn right I'd be saying yes please!
And the whole #ad thing has been a learning curve for a lot of users, yes transparency is good but I'm not going to get my knickers in a twist if its forgotten/not used.

@BMOT the problem is these accounts change when the ads and freebies start rolling in. So the user will be obligated to share 8 squares or similar and then it’s not recommendation or genuine it’s effectively a paid ad and the content changes. I’ve seen one this week (fairly new to ads) trying to subtley drop in her child’s new shoes and her own and it’s so contrived. You just roll your eyes. Of course they are lovely you got them for free. It’s nothing like I bought these and am really impressed. It basically means nothing.
Then there’s the accounts fishing for deals, asking for advice and recommendations on items knowing damn well a washing machine or new coat will be winging its way to them within a week. It’s made lovely accounts grabby and removed authenticity.
There’s not much that can be done, it’s the way instagram now works. But it’s a shame.

Yep I get all that and I must admit I did execute an eye roll when someone I follow was asking for recommendations for a new bag. I commented with a link to a bag I was looking at and the company swiftly jumped in with a “DM us and we’ll send one over “ ! The simple answer is always to unfollow it’s not like you don’t have a choice whose feed you see

@BMOT ahh the ‘just unfollow’ that’s half the issue. Lots of people like accounts but don’t like ads. I just don’t read or like and scroll past ads and actually as soon as I’m aware that brands like fat face and Boden are sending freebies to wealthy middle class mummy’s who can well afford to clothe their own kids, I immediately wouldn’t buy from them. I literally have not stepped foot in fat face since my feed was filled with free items. There are many accounts I like but don’t like the ads or choice of products...

Well that was fun

Thank you who posted alternative accounts especially Esther And the poster who posted two other art platforms - thank you these are brilliant.

I do think for me this thread kind of compounded that at least a certain subsection that shall not be named is in a death spiral. I mean really, this was a thread which the opening post doesn’t mention this subsection, or ethics of this subsection. However of a sudden this thread was full of people calling the posters horrible things because we wish to even discuss Instagram in general, followed by a swathe of MN deleting of posts some of which mentioned people critically but the VAST majority not referencing ANY IGer at all. Which I think now that fans a flame that wasn’t even there as it means that it’s to interpretation of what was said in the gaps.

Thankfully I don’t want to follow a large majority of this subsection and have found a few more accounts to follow which hopefully will change up my feed.

I’m leaving the discussion now - so if people want to hijack this as an ethics of instamum thread go for it. But the thread was never intended to be another one of those threads.

Loving all the great account recommendations!

For fashion and inclusive and diverse body positivity I love AndIGetDressed.

For homes inspiration www.houzz.com is brilliant. Hours of procrastination right there!

Disclaimer - haven't read past the first few posts all 8 pages so apologies if already well discussed / irrelevant now.

All of these foody recommendations don't help when your on a diet 🤤😭

Lol WooYa!

I’ve just started following Esther the pig. OMG I’m in love.

I've just unfollowed all the parenting ones! So much more to see!

I'm new to Instagram. I quite like it.

My main problem with it is that the Kardashians keep popping up all over the place. I'm not in the least bit interested in them, I don't follow them, it's like they're being rammed down my throat.