Instagram: The platform that disguises control and stalking as "protection"
The caricature about Instagram‘s hypocricy and its impact.
Look, we all know the internet can be a dangerous place, and users genuinely need protection. But Instagram? This platform has gone way too far. Their so-called "protection" is nothing but pure oppression and hypocrisy, hidden behind a saintly mask and performative rules.Here is a breakdown of exactly how Instagram is exploiting and oppressing us through their double standards.
Privating teen accounts to "protect" them
Almost every teenager on this platform has likely experienced having their account forcibly set to private. We never asked for this, yet we're barred from making our profiles public until we turn at least 16. This completely strips young actors, influencers, and artists of the space and spotlight they need to promote their work.
And the worst part? Forcing accounts to be private doesn't actually protect anyone from real danger. Countless teens worldwide suffer from depression, social isolation, and even suicidal thoughts from constantly comparing themselves to unrealistic beauty standards on the app.
Instagram is fully aware of this toxic environment, yet they refuse to fix the root of the problem. Instead, they slap on a performative band-aid called "protection" by locking our accounts — which, of course, solves absolutely nothing.
The Hypocrisy of "Limits"
I had a very close friend on Instagram who l really liked, and who was just 4 years older than me. l loved talking to them about our shared interests. But one day, I suddenly couldn't text them anymore because Instagram blocked me from their profile, claiming I couldn't view it until l became an adult. And the reason for this restriction was a completely ridiculous nitpick: that user never posted actual NSFW content; they just posted some angsty stories, but Instagram's Al flagged it as "unsafe" for teens.Here's the kicker: even though they blocked contact with my friend, they didn't stop me from viewing another artist | follow who actually did post NSFW content. Instagram just put a blur filter over that artist's post, but | could still access their entire profile without any issues.
Invading Privacy Through Spying
Instagram acts like they are strict about privacy. But as you probably know, Instagram is heavily restricting and moving away from End-to-End (E2E) encryption for messages. They are preparing to read users' private chats under the guise of "safety" and "crime prevention." In reality, this will likely lead to users getting their accounts banned or receiving warnings just for discussing "suggestive" content or something that the Al falsely flags as a "crime plan."
Because of this, many users, including myself, are becoming anxious that Instagram will misinterpret our messages-even when we're just complaining or discussing sensitive themes. We are losing the freedom to talk about anything private. They didn't end E2E chats for protection; they did it to train their Al and for future data exploitation.
Punishing the Innocent While Ignoring Real Crimes
Artists, especially small creators, often receive warnings or even get their accounts banned just for posting content that includes a tiny bit of gore or suggestive themes. But what about bigger artists with hundreds of thousands or millions of followers?
Instagram leaves them completely alone because these popular accounts are "useful" for their algorithm and profit. Because of this, l became too afraid to post even a little bit of gore, fearing Instagram would ban me.
Furthermore, Instagram allows users to guilt-trip others through attention-seeking call-out stories that say things like, "If you skip, you are heartless," or "Share this if you have a heart." They completely ignore these toxic chain posts because they care more about user engagement and making money.
And you know what? Even though Instagram pretends to be holy and saint-like, they are no different from those attention-seekers. They literally lie to you, claiming your friends or mutuals are using Meta Al ,just to promote their sloppy features and line their pockets.
The algorithm is also far from offering actual freedom or protection.
Instagram's algorithm constantly buries the work of smaller creators while heavily boosting big artists. Unlike Tumblr, whose algorithm actually gives small artists a chance at the spotlight, Instagram completely hides them. This can cause severe depression for independent creators, making them feel like their art isn't good enough.
As a result, honest, healthy, and charming art-even if it's not "perfect"- gets completely overshadowed by highly suggestive, toxic, or downright illegal content or even by AI slops.
Conclusion: The Future We Actually Want
In conclusion, Instagram is an oppressor disguised as a saint. It is a two-faced, hypocritical platform that suppresses artists and creators while caring only about its own profit and money.
All that independent artists and creators like myself want is for Instagram to be a truly safe platform. We want them to target actual crimes and illegal content, grant freedom to innocent users, stop spying on our every move, and keep our private chats truly private. They need to stop relying on and training Al on our data, and stop severing our connections with friends over minor things. Instead of locking down teen accounts, they should truly protect teenagers from self-harm and cyberbullying.
Every innocent person deserves true freedom, genuine privacy, and protection that isn't a disguise for hypocrisy and oppression!
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