On 10th birthday, Instagram no longer an escape from reality

Instagram is where people are spending a lot of time, which makes it ripe for activism. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Artful photos of sunsets and ice cream are being challenged by more activist content on Instagram as it turns 10 years old in a time of social justice protests, climate crisis, and the pandemic.

Founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, the app had one billion users two years and has grown fast since then, after first capturing the public’s attention with its image filters, and easy photo editing and sharing tools.