Last week, Instagram became the topic again after giving up applying some changes that would make it look like TikTok prioritizing video over photos. Days after signaling the updates, Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, said that the reaction generated by users made it clear that there was no point in insisting on changes.
Big influencers on the platform like Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian started campaigns at odds with any changes. Mosseri stated that Instagram prioritizes content from users’ family and friends over brands and, therefore, “photos and videos are shared more in stories than in feed”.
Read more: Instagram gives up looking like TikTok for now
A called mimicry is very common among social networks. In particular, Instagram, due to its size and relevance, has already been inspired by competitors when developing new features. Meta, owner of Instagram, saw the exponential growth of the video app TikTok as a threat to its own and has been adding elements to be able to follow the behavior of users.
WhatsApp and direct messages
Before being bought by Facebook, in 2014, WhatsApp had already been a source of inspiration for Instagram. In 2013, the network announced Direct, a feature that allowed conversations between users reportedly inspired by the messaging app that would soon belong to the same owner.
Stories x Snaps
In 2016, the year in which Snapchat became popular in Brazil, a stage that lasted a few months, Instagram launched Stories, the short vertical videos that disappear in 24 hours. The function was a direct inspiration from Snaps.
Live Streams
In 2017, when YouTube lives became increasingly popular, Instagram added this possibility to the platform, allowing live content, at the time, to share the screen with other friends.
Reels and TikTok as a threat
In 2020, Instagram announced Reels, creating a space for video sharing with editing. At the time, TikTok was already growing significantly and already represented a strong competitor for the Meta network.
