The co-founder of Instagram claims that the service has “lost its essence.”

Kevin Systrom, the co-founder of the social media site Instagram, is upset that it has become a marketplace for influencers.

According to Systrom, “I think we’ve lost the core of what makes Instagram “Instagram,” during a podcast conversation with tech journalist Kara Swisher.

Instagram has evolved into a business tool as creators and companies use the platform to generate revenue, according to Systrom, who first used it to keep up with the activities of his friends and family.

He claimed that Instagram’s “incentives are to go more commercial, have more artists, more partnerships, and more ad dollars,” which may have unforeseen societal repercussions.

This has concentrated attention on those who appear to be living limitless great lives, doing extravagant activities, dressing well, and donning extravagant clothing, he claimed.

He claimed that this creates a dangerous dynamic where users of Instagram think the well-maintained facades they observe on the app represent people’s genuine lives.

He remarked, “Whatever individuals publish on Instagram is just the tip of the iceberg.” “Life is really hard.” This bottom-up competition is to see who can be the most perfect.

In reality, the co-founder has witnessed Instagram’s evolution on his own feed. He claimed that several of his pals used to post images of their regular lives online but now only post advertising.

In Systrom’s opinion, that isn’t the Instagram we founded. He specifically mentioned the alternative app “BeReal,” where users can be themselves and capture themselves in honest moments.

After leaving Instagram in 2018 due to escalating disagreements with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Systrom’s comments on the social media platform have been quiet for over five years. In 2012, he exchanged $1 billion for Instagram on Facebook, now known as Meta. The AI-powered news app Artifact, which was introduced at the beginning of the year, now counts him among its cofounders.