The social media platform Instagram was created in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. The app was acquired by Facebook in 2012, which bought the app for $1 billion in cash and stock.
Since then, Instagram has evolved to include IGTV, Reels, and Vertical Stories. The platform also features an Explore page — to feature trending tags and places — filters, and Highlights.
Instagram has also launched standalone apps such as Boomerang and Hyperlapse. Today, Instagram is available in 32 countries and has over 1.3 billion users worldwide.
Founders: Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger
Launch Date: October 6, 2010
Instagram Accounts With the Most Followers:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (365 million)
- Leo Messi (280 million)
- Kylie Jenner (280 million)
- The Rock (277 million)
- Ariana Grande (275 million)
- Selena Gomez (272 million)
- Kim Kardashian (262 million)
- Beyoncé (218 million)
- Justin Bieber (203 million)
- Kendall Jenner (199 million)
Who owns Instagram now? Facebook Inc purchased Instagram in 2012 for $300 million in cash and 23 million shares of stock. It was reported that Kevin Systrom made $400 million from the sale. In 2021, Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook was changing its company name to Meta. Facebook also owns WhatsApp, Oculus, and CTRL Labs.
How does Instagram make money? According to Bloomberg, Instagram makes a majority of its revenue from advertising and Instagram Shopping.
Latest Instagram News and Updates
Follower Count Spiking Your Anxiety? Here's How to See Who Unfollowed You on Instagram
"The year is 2030. Your follower count? 0. How did this happen?! All is lost!"
Some Instagram Users Are Saying the Platform Automatically Made Them Follow POTUS
Some Instagram users are unhappy that they are now following POTUS.
Freeze, Pose, Repeat! 52 Snow Day Captions for Your Winter Wonderland Posts
Get ready to "snow" off your style this snow day with captions that'll make your Instagram feed shine bright!
Instagram Has Implemented New Post Sizes in the Grid in 2025 – A Rundown of the Changes
You're not going crazy, Instagram did, indeed, change post sizes.
Democrat Hashtags Seem to Be Blocked on Instagram, Prompting Outcry and Concern
"This is actually dystopian scary, I need to know what’s going on."
“Just Think About That” — Woman Claims Male Meta Employees Don’t Wash Hands
"Men, are you good?"
Pop, Fizz, Post! 50 New Year's Eve Instagram Captions That'll Make Your Feed Shine
Get ready to sparkle into the New Year with these NYE captions that'll make your Instagram feed sparkle!
Christmas Couple Captions — Perfect Instagram Captions for Your Coupled-up Selfie
If you’ve already spent weeks preparing food and festive decorations, don’t spend the rest of the holidays agonizing a caption for your ‘gram.
Instagram Is Now Allowing Users to Reset Their Algorithms and Start from Scratch
You can now get a brand new Instagram algorithm pretty easily.
20 Instagram Captions to Show Your Hispanic Heritage Month Pride
"The Latina in me is an ember that blazes forever." —Sonya Sotomayor
Feeling Brave? Here's How to Get ChatGPT to Roast Your Instagram Feed
Be prepared: ChatGPT doesn't hold back!
Instagram Notes Are Now Turning Gold to Celebrate the 2024 Paris Olympics
Instagram Notes are turning gold, but only if you use some specific keywords.
Inside What a "Brat Summer" Is, and Why Some Charli XCX Fans Are Embracing It
Charli XCX is inspiring her fans to do what they want all summer long.
Want to Know Who Isn't Following You on Instagram? It May Be Easier Than You Think
No third-party apps required.
From Viral Fame to Big City Dreams! The "Hawk Tuah" Girl Eyes Los Angeles or New York for New Opportunities
“You gotta give ’em that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thing!” Who knew those words would make one lucky girl viral?
“What Other Foods Are Lying to Us?” — Influencer Proves Most Juices Are Just Apple Juice
"Wonder why everything tastes better in Europe? "
Instagram Keeps Logging Some Users out, and They Aren't Thrilled About It
The problem appears to be that Instagram thinks these users are bots. More users get logged out on desktop browsers than on their phones.
Some Users Have Noticed Their Instagram Notes Vanishing — Troubleshooting Tips
Instagram Notes was first introduced in 2022. Notes are designed to allow users to share short thoughts with one another.
Meghan Markle Introduced Her New Lifestyle Brand With Suspicious Timing
The royal family has the freedom to create and promote whatever they’d like. Meghan Markle has a new lifestyle brand in 2024.
Instagram Makes Some Pictures Blurry, and Users Want to Know How to Fix It
Instagram might blur your photos because of file sizes, aspect ratios, or a number of other issues.
Is There a Best Time to Post on Instagram for Each Day of the Week? What to Know
While there's no single best time you should be posting to Instagram every day, you can still maximize engagement every single day.
What Does "Facebook Session Expired" Mean — or Were You Also Recently Logged Out of Facebook?
Nearly a million social media users couldn't use Facebook or Instagram on the morning of March 5, 2024.
Instagram Is Rolling out Hidden Valentine's Day Features That You May Fall in Love With
Instagram's hidden Valentine's Day features will only be available for 48 hours starting from Feb. 13 at 12 p.m. EST to Feb. 15.
Regret-agram — What Really Happens When You Unsend a Message on Instagram
Instagram makes it possible for users to unsend messages, but it’s unclear exactly what happens when you unsend the message, so we found out.
Is Instagram Adding Profile Views? Let's Unpack the Rumors
People are trying to figure out how to get rid of the views feature on Twitter, and now there are rumors that the feature will come to Instagram too!
Mom Shares Husband's Inability to Complete a Simple Task — Even After She Emailed Directions
One woman asked her husband to help her with a task then emailed him specific instructions. If you think he managed to help, we have a bridge to sell you.
Woman Handles Her Kids on Flight Alone While Her Husband Relaxes
A viral video on Instagram shows a woman as she handles her kids on a flight while her husband simply relaxes, but the wife offers an explanation.
'Twin Love' Is a New Reality Dating Show That Is Double the Fun — Let's Meet the Cast
Nikki and Brie Garcia are two of the most famous twins in the world. They're helping other twins find love in a new reality dating show 'Twin Love.'
Billie Eilish Admitted She's "Physically Attracted" to Women — So, is She Gay?
During a 2023 interview with 'Variety,' Billie Eilish admitted, "I'm attracted to [girls] for real." Does this means she's gay? More details here.
Wrapped for Instagram Seems Super Shady — Here's What We Know About the Third-Party App
Is Wrapped for Instagram real? A new third-party app has been making the rounds with iOS users, but its legitimacy is shaky, to say the least.
"Killer" Friday the 13th Captions to "Hack" Your Instagram
It's Friday the 13th, which means we need to post our spookiest pics on Instagram. So we've rounded up the best captions and movie quotes.
LaLa Milan Is Expecting Her First Child — Is the Instagram Influencer Married?
LaLa Milan announced she’s pregnant with her first child. Since then, fans have wanted to know all about her boyfriend, Tyler Parker.
What Happened to Lil Tay? She Released a Song After Her Infamous Death Hoax
In August 2023, sources reported that rapper Lil Tay had died. She later said her account was hacked and dropped a new single. What's going on?
50 Solid Instagram Bio Ideas to Spice Up Your Online Persona and Gain Followers
There are some really good Instagram bios out there, and a good one is the first step to becoming an influencer. Everyone needs a good Instagram bio!
Young Love! Madison Beer and This TikTok Star Are Still Going Strong
It has been rumored that Madison Beer is now dating TikTok star Nick Austin. The two have been connected since they were seen together in August 2020.
5 Easy Steps to Gaining Followers and Becoming an Influencer, Just Like All Your TikTok Faves
Nowadays, it seems like being an influencer is the only lucrative job that allows you to do what you want for money. So how can we become influencers?
Get a Head Start—Follow the 'Survivor 45' Cast on Social Media Before the Premiere
After 23 years on the air, 'Survivor' Season 45 is here to shake it up again. The cast members are already iconic. What are their Instagram handles?
"This Guy Deserves an Oscar!" — Kid Hilariously Pretends His Fake Tattoos Actually Hurt
A mother recorded her young son's fear as an artist covered his body in fake tattoos. The video sparked plenty of parenting debates online.
Threads Allows You to Add Multiple Accounts, but You Can't Use Them Simultaneously
Meta's new Threads app gives you a chance to add multiple accounts, but using several accounts at the same time is almost impossible.
Does Threads Allow NSFW Posts? Meta's New App Looks to Rival Twitter
Meta's new Threads app is meant to be a rival to Twitter, and many are wondering what the app's content standards are. Does Threads allow NSFW?
Instagram Is Now Letting You Add Music to Your Notes — Here's How to Do It
Want to know how to add music to your Instagram Notes? One of the newest functions to the social media platform got a considerable upgrade.
Can't See Instagram Notes? Here Are Some Possible Reasons
Instagram Notes are like the AIM away messages of days gone by. But what happens if you're unable to see them? What's going on? Let's investigate.
Get Creative This Cinco De Mayo With These Fiesta-Approved Insta Captions
In honor of Cinco de Mayo, 'Distractify' has compiled a list of 40 celebratory captions to consider for your Instagram posts! Check it out below.What Does Remix Mean on Instagram and How To Do It
Instagram users may want to try remixing. Here's what the term means on the social sharing app, as well as how to remix step-by-step.
The Dark Truth Behind Instagram Models Constantly Jetting off to Dubai
If you're on social media, then you've come across Instagram models visiting beautiful destinations, including Dubai. Why are they always flown there?The Instagram Notes Number Trend Is Popular — How to Decipher the Secret Codes
The Instagram Notes number trend has spread to TikTok. Many don't know what the trend is or what the various codes involved mean. Let's get into it.
What Does the Blue Check Mean on Instagram? And How Can You Get One?
What does the blue check on Instagram mean? And is it possible to buy one for your own account? Here's what you need to know.
Spring Has Sprung! 50 Instagram Captions for Your First Day of Spring Photos
It's time to kick winter to the curb because spring is finally here! To celebrate, here are 50 captions for your first day of spring Instagram posts.
What Is Instagram Broadcast Channels? The 4-1-1 on the New Feature
What Is Instagram Broadcast Channels? The app has upped the ante with a new way for users to communicate. Here's the 4-1-1 on the new feature.
All About the Instagram Photo Quality Hack You Didn't Know You Needed
Want to learn how to keep your photos from being blurry? Here's everything you need to know about this must-have photo quality hack.