On Monday, Instagram's founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger announced their departure from the company they started eight years ago and sold to Facebook for $1 billion (Dh3.6 bn) two years later.
When Facebook bought Instagram, the photo-sharing app had around 50 million global users. It now has 600m. That's a smashing success, so why are the pair moving on? Bloomberg has reported growing tensions over the way Facebook is changing the app, while the official line from Systrom, 34, and Krieger, 32, is that they want to "explore curiosity and creativity again". They leave just a few months after the exit of Jan Koum, the co-founder of WhatsApp, which was bought by Facebook in 2014.
It’s hard to believe that Instagram began less than a decade ago: it’s just an app, yes, but it’s also a strange, all-consuming, society-changing space. If you’re a millennial or younger and have the means to own a smartphone, you may not have Facebook (their teen audience is dwindling), but you’re almost certainly on Insta.
The time-sucking app is like flipping through a glossy magazine, one thumb swipe at a time: aspirational, beautiful, but also sometimes deflating. Everyone’s lives seem more glamorous and less of a grind through the filters. Sure, you can take control of your own feed and only follow the people who don’t make you feel terrible about every glamorous holiday you’ve never been on or every burpee you’ve never done. But, with an algorithm-driven system and the human compulsion to watch on in envy, it can be hard to truly control your own Insta destiny.
When Systrom and Krieger accepted Dh3.67 bn from Facebook for their app, they can’t claim to have been doing anything other than opening the door to an entirely different corporate beast. With the addition of sponsored posts and the rise of influencers, are Zuckerberg and Facebook’s executives to blame for the fact Instagram sometimes feels like a digital-era, pocket-sized version of a home shopping TV channel? The platform being a far more commercial place today may just be the natural life cycle of anything that lives and thrives in our hyper-capitalist space, but Facebook certainly made changes to benefit advertisers as soon as it became boss.
Instagram was at first called Burbn, and was all about checking into locations – photos were an afterthought. But, after Systrom’s now-wife said that she wouldn’t post her photos on Burbn because she wasn’t a good enough photographer, he realised there was a gap in the app market. And that’s when Instagram became about filters to add sheen and nostalgia to smartphone snaps, with ease too. “We realised we needed to make people feel like their photos are worthy of sharing,” Systrom told National Public Radio’s Guy Raz of the breakthrough.
After the pivot to photography, Instagram exploded, going from no users to a million in just two months from October to December 2010. Clearly, the ability to make our lives look picture perfect was something many people craved. In 2010, Instagram was a different place than it is today; it was full of Polaroid-style, retro filters that seemed to hark back to the days before digital cameras.
Today, sepia tones have been usurped by the saturation tool, which splashes vivid turquoise into oceans and paints hills in a verdant green rarely spied in nature. Traditional photography seems to have picked up tips from the app itself, with photo sites like Getty Images releasing “Insta-style” filtered images from events like fashion weeks and award shows. It seems we all want more vibrance, flatlay food and photos of people staring out at skylines from infinity pools.
So, as they leave their creation in the hands of Zuckerberg, what will the duo do next? “Building new things requires that we step back, understand what inspires us and match that with what the world needs; that’s what we plan to do,” the pair said in a statement.
They were definitely onto something eight years ago when they gave us the tools to easily mimic professional photography, but they also opened up a portal that has perhaps exacerbated mental health issues in young people – a 2017 Status of Mind survey found that teens associate the app with anxiety, depression and bullying more than any other social media tool. They also birthed a plethora of influencers who make quick money selling things, often without giving any thought to advertising standards or the veracity of their claims. A report from Mediakix in 2017 found that, over a period of a month, 93 per cent of paid posts from the 50 most followed celebrities were not clearly labelled as ads on the platform. Perhaps the pair’s next move will be to create a new space that presents reality with more grit, less gloss?
How Instagram has changed since Facebook became boss
- One of the first moves was hidden in the fine print: in December 2012, the new owners updated the app’s terms of service so that the company could sell users’ photos to third parties without permission or any compensation.
- In November 2013, it introduced sponsored posts for advertisers in the United States (this went global in September 2015). In August 2014, more analytics tools were built for advertisers, and in September 2015, it allowed advertisers to post 30 second videos (users could only post 15 second clips).
- In December 2013, it launched Direct, meaning users could send posts and photos directly and privately to other users – the app’s first bid at competing with Snapchat’s messaging service.
- In June 2014, the photo editing became more sophisticated so that users could change brightness, highlights, shadows, just as you would with professional software. Filters are still a thing, but Instagram’s beautification of photos is now far more bespoke.
- In October 2015, Boomerang was launched – which uses five photos taken in a one-second burst to create a silent video that then plays in reverse.
- In March 2016, the photo feed went from chronological to algorithm-driven. For many, it just felt like a move to give advertisers more play, with control of their feed being taken out of their hands.
- Arguably the most successful (and most Snapchat-derivative) update was in August 2016 when the app introduced Instagram stories. While feed posts are often polished and curated, the videos and photos on story slideshows disappear after 24 hours, the ephemeral nature meaning they tend to be less picture perfect. Another change in this month was the addition of Image Zoom, so you could really analyse the details of a photo by pinching your screen.
- In October 2016, the first Instagram-for-desktop app was launched, so that people could while away time scrolling through photos on larger screens as well. A month later, Instagram Live was launched, but unlike Facebook, these broadcasts disappear once a user stops streaming.
- In February 2017, slideshows were introduced, so that users could add multiple pictures to one post, like a gallery.
- This year so far, there have been two major changes: in May a feature was added so you could “mute” certain users from your feed without potentially causing offence by unfollowing. And in June, IGTV was launched, a new video streaming service with videos from 10 minutes to one hour that looks set to take on YouTube.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The years Ramadan fell in May
Company%20Profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Indian origin executives leading top technology firms
Sundar Pichai
Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
Satya Nadella
Chief executive, Microsoft
Ajaypal Singh Banga
President and chief executive, Mastercard
Shantanu Narayen
Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe
Indra Nooyi
Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo
Barings Bank
Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was
founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading
scandal.
Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal
losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson.
Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades,
wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
Series result
1st ODI Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets
2nd ODI Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
3rd ODI Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets
4th ODI Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets
5th ODI Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
Mental%20health%20support%20in%20the%20UAE
%3Cp%3E%E2%97%8F%20Estijaba%20helpline%3A%208001717%3Cbr%3E%E2%97%8F%20UAE%20Ministry%20of%20Health%20and%20Prevention%20hotline%3A%20045192519%3Cbr%3E%E2%97%8F%20UAE%20Mental%20health%20support%20line%3A%20800%204673%20(Hope)%3Cbr%3EMore%20information%20at%20hope.hw.gov.ae%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 20: 11am to 7pm - Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival and Para jiu-jitsu.
Sunday, April 21: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (female) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Monday, April 22: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (male) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Tuesday, April 23: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Wednesday, April 24: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Thursday, April 25: 11am-5pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Friday, April 26: 3pm to 6pm Finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Saturday, April 27: 4pm and 8pm awards ceremony.
At a glance
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
More from Neighbourhood Watch
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Trolls World Tour
Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Rating: 4 stars
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
PREMIER LEAGUE STATS
Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring statistics in the Premier League
Season/club/appearances (substitute)/goals
2011/12 Chelsea: 8(7) - 0
2012/13 West Brom (loan): 35(15) - 17
2013/14 Chelsea: 2(2) - 0
2013/14 Everton (loan): 31(2) - 15
2014/15 Everton: 36(4) - 10
2015/16 Everton: 37(1) - 18
2016/17 Everton: 37(1) - 25
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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