In this article, you’ll find out who is Instagram owned by, the creators, founders, and executives are. 💼
But, also, we’ll tell the story of this successful platform.
Who is Instagram owned by : Who created Instagram?
When it comes to the fateful question of who created Instagram, there are two people responsible for its creation 👉 Mike Krieger (left) and Kevin Systrom (right).
Instagram was founded in 2010. ✨ More precisely, it dates back to October 6, 2010, when the app debuted on the iTunes Store.
Originally, it was to be called Burbn and was supposed to be an app that would facilitate reservations and check-in at tourist sites. 🧳
(A service similar to reservation networking sites and website applications Trivago or Booking).
The idea was then abandoned, and they concentrated on exchanging photos taken with a cell phone… 💡
Therefore, photo sharing via cell phones was the basis for the creation of Instagram. 📸
The term Instagram comes from the fusion of two completely different words: instant camera “Insta” and telegram “Gram”.
What’s more, the inspiration for this app comes from Italy, and we’ll talk about it below! 😉
How was Instagram born? Brief History of Instagram
For the record… 📖 On a study trip to Italy, Kevin Systrom took a “Holga”, a camera which takes photos with analog camera effects.
A bit like the ones posted on Instagram right now.
This experience was very important, as it inspired the young Systrom. 💡
Clearly, Instagram as we know it today is very different from when it first appeared. 🤔
What’s more, hashtags (as on LinkedIn), now essential to publications and “Stories”, have been introduced in 2011.
In 2013, they added the ability to post short videos in addition to photos. 📹
Then came the “Stories”, which revolutionized the social experiment on Instagram!
(Source: Lomography.com/holga/galleries).
Who is Instagram owned by? Instagram features
Instagram is free and available for download on iOS and Android devices. 🤳
Any person over thirteen years old can access it by registering an email address and selecting a username.
The platform is designed to share photos and videos with friends and followers.
People can view each other’s publications, and interact with them by commenting or posting liking publications. 🥰
Direct messages can be sent to other social media users to communicate, and Instagram enables voice calls and audio via the platform.
Visit an article on how to get more followers on Insta! 😘
Users can publish different types of media on Instagram.
In particular, photos and videos in the form of “Stories”, which are temporary videos to show to a user’s personal subscribers.
And, “Reels”, which are videos designed for attract more subscribers. 🎯
In 2018, the company also launched a long-form video sharing app, called IGTV.
Instagram includes features for editing and customizing photos and videos, such as:
- Video and photo filters,
- Camera effects,
- Crop and rotate photos,
- Hashtags for photos and videos,
- Location marking on publications. 📍
Who created Instagram: Instagram Founders
Instagram was created over 10 years ago! 🥳
What’s more, we’re going to take a look at how Instagram’s creators came up with this idea and how this platform has evolved rapidly over the years. 🚀
So, let’s talk about the person who created Instagram… 🧐
As I said before, this social network was created thanks to Kevin Systrom.
An American entrepreneur and Massachusetts computer scientist with degrees in engineering and management. 🧑🎓
During his studies, he did an internship at Odeo, the company that founded Twitter. 🕊️
After graduating, he worked at Google for two years, developing Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Reader and the Google Docs platform. 😮
It’s safe to say that he’s a true computer whiz! ♠️
After these various experiences at Google, he began working on the NextStop team. 🛑
Here, he developed his knowledge of programming and founded Burbn an HTML5-based location and sharing service.
Later, Burbn became an iPhone application with the help of Mike Krieger 🤝
However, this project failed due to the dispersed nature of the applications and the difficulty of use. 🧠
This led the two founders to rethink their project…
They then developed bring Instagram to life, allowing users to share and comment on photos. 🗣️
This time, Instagram becomes a successful project! 👏 Such was its success that it counted over 10 million users during its first year.
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Who is Instagram owned by: Instagram Logo
Systrom and Krieger created Instagram as a way to provide a virtual gallery and permanent “storage” of cell phone users’ favorite photos. 📲
The iconic square camera of the Instagram logo represents the platform’s aesthetic vision.
Here’s the interesting story behind the Instagram logo: 👇
Old Instagram Logo
- 2009-2010: The story of the Instagram logo begins with a vintage-inspired image of a Polaroid camera inside a curved square.
This image shows the front of a cream, gray, and black Polaroid camera.
Rainbow stripes (red, yellow, green, and blue) run vertically down the center. 🌈
On the left-hand side is the word “Instagram”.
- 2010-2011: Instagram updates its logo with a vintage viewfinder, inspired by Bell & Howell cameras from the 1950s.
The camera logo is brown and beige, has a smooth surface and fills the entire curved square. 📷
A rainbow stripe is located in the upper-left corner, with the word “INST” printed in block letters directly below the stripe.
- 2011-2016 : The Instagram logo has been subtly updated, with a leather texture on top, more depth and shine on the lenses. 🕯️
Each color in the rainbow band becomes wider, and the text underneath reads “Insta” in bold, capital letters.
New Instagram Logo
- 2016-2022 : The logo has been redesigned to be bolder and more minimalist. 🧨
This version is a flat camera outline, combining the key elements of the previous logo in bright marketing colors.
The curved square features a vibrant color gradient from blue to pink, orange, and yellow. 🎨
Inside is a small curved white square and white circles representing the lens and viewfinder.
- 2022-present: The current logo features even brighter shades of pink, red, orange, and yellow. 🔥
In the current logo, the blue tone of the gradient is muted.
History of Instagram Messages
The history of Instagram instant-messaging app dates back to 2013 when Systrom launched Instagram Direct. 📩
This new feature allows users to share photos and videos in private messages.
The history of functionality DM from Instagram contrasts sharply with the way it works today. 🤫
At the time of its initial launch, users were unable to run the chat function by sending a photo to someone they were following who was also following them.
You can send your photo by pressing the “camera” icon in the live video chat. 📷
If someone you don’t follow sends you a message, the message will appear as a pending request.
It won’t appear immediately in your personal inbox, you need to accept the message first. 👌
History of Instagram Stories
Visit “Instagram Stories” began on August 2, 2016. 💫
“Instagram Stories” is an exact copy of “Snapchat Stories”, allowing users to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. 🤫
Kevin Systrom, who was still Instagram CEO at the time, recognized that Snapchat deserved “all credit” of the “Stories” concept.
Instagram “Stories” have always had high visibility at the top of the app’s main feed.
Here’s a list of some Instagram Stories features: 👇
- “Stories” appear for 10 seconds before moving on to the next slideshow.
- Users have to tap on a “Story” to see it.
- Viewers can press the “Story” button to move quickly to the next slide.
- You can press the left-hand side to return to the previous slide, or long-press the screen to pause.
- You can press the arrow at bottom right to share the “Story” via DM.
- Enrich your “Story” with images, text, emojis and color filters.
- You can find out who has seen your “Story”.
- Prevent other users from seeing your “Story”.
- You can view public account “Stories” from your Facebook profile.
And much, much more! This list is not exhaustive, but it does give us a good idea of the available functions. 😀
History of Instagram “Reels”
Instagram “Reels” is one of the platform’s latest fun and attractive features. 😍
The video content format of “Reels” is inspired by the concept of short mobile video, very popular with TikTok.
Instagram presented “Reels” in August 2020, as “a new way of creating and discovering on this social media platform short, entertaining videos“.
The users can record and edit 15-second multi-clip “Reels” with audio, effects and new social media creative tools. 📣
You can choose a song from your Instagram music library or record a “Reel” with your audio.
Modify multiple clips and align objects for better smooth transitions depending on the Instagram post size.
(Instagram post size: Portrait format).
Who owns Instagram? Instagram Owner
Instagram was acquired shortly after its creation, more precisely on April 9, 2012 (less than two years later), by Mark Zuckerberg.
Then, the creator of Facebook announced the acquisition of Instagram and its 13 employees, and they are who is Instagram owned by now.💰
Facebook was the biggest social network, but has become less popular since… 🙈
As a student, he developed the Facebook page around the same time that Instagram was created.
The acquisition was finalized in September of the same year for $1 billion. 🤑
The merger of Instagram and Facebook has also introduced some changes to the social networks himself.
For example, you can register directly with your Facebook account or to connect with Facebook and Instagram at a later date.
You can set the following parameters to automatic sharing Instagram “Stories” and like Facebook posts, in your profile privacy settings. 👌
Who owns Facebook and Instagram?
Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launched Instagram together in 2010, then sold the application to Meta in 2012 for $1 billion. 🙉
The two founders finally left the social network in 2018.
Due to tensions with the new CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, 👈 in relation to the app’s direction and his desire to integrate it further by using Facebook.
The creators of Instagram have recently founded a company focused on social applications and artificial intelligence, called “Artifact”. 🤖
So, to answer who is Instagram owned by… it’s owned by the Meta group, investors and partially by Mark Zuckerberg.
Meta’s Influence on Instagram
The acquisition of Instagram by Meta had a noticeable impact on Instagram.
Here are some of those impacts: 👇
- Access to better resources
As part of Meta, one of the world’s top technology companies, Instagram now has access to more resources. 👉 For example, Instagram now has more money to do research and social media marketing.
- Cross promotion
Meta helped further expand Instagram’s user base by promoting Instagram on Facebook, it’s another social network under the Meta umbrella. ☂️ Additionally, Instagram and Facebook have successfully integrated after Meta acquired Instagram. 👉 With the integration of Facebook and Instagram, many Facebook users now have Instagram accounts.
- Algorithm changes
Instagram’s algorithm has changed a lot since Meta took over. 🌀 Currently, Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes content from accounts that active users interact with frequently. This particular algorithm has its roots in the Facebook algorithm.
- Monetization
Since the acquisition, Meta has introduced various monetization strategies to Instagram. 🪙 These strategies include shoppable posts and sponsored posts. These features have made Instagram an ideal social networking platform for many businesses to use for advertising.
Who is the CEO of Instagram?
Systrom sold Instagram to Facebook in 2012, but remained CEO for a few years. 🤓
Until September 2018, when he and his partner Krieger officially announced their resignation.
Since then, the manager has been Adam Mosseri. 📣
Mosseri has led efforts to make the most popular social media platforms a more positive space for users through the “Daisy Project”. 🌻
It is designed to combat bullying and encourage a positive, better mental health.
For example, by hiding the number of “likes” on users’ publicly visible profiles.
Instagram CEO
As of 2018, Adam Mosseri is the head of Instagram, where he is responsible for overseeing the engineering, product and sales teams. 🎯
Mosseri leads Meta’s efforts on Creators and Reels. 👉 He has been with Meta for over fifteen years.
Adam started at Meta as a mobile app designer before moving on to product management.
He managed the product and engineering teams, and was responsible for the news feed, the Facebook posts.
It’s fair to say that the initial project of Instagram’s creators has evolved a lot in 10 years… 🧐
The concept of an intimate, personal social network, a kind of souvenir album which friends can also access, has changed.
As we’ve seen, Instagram has become a richer and more sophisticated platform. It has a new way of attracting users. 🌟
Recap: Who actually created Instagram and When?
Finally, since his web launch in 2010, Instagram quickly gained in popularity.
Secondly, we know that Systrom and Krieger decided to focus on cell phone photography.
Following this, it was decided to change the name to the Instagram application and give it the main features that everyone knows. 🤩
In April 2012, Facebook bought the app for around $1 billion! 💲
With 1 million registered users in two months, 10 million in a year and reached 1 billion people in May 2019. 💥
Over time, many new features have been added, including the ability to post videos of up to 60 seconds, GIFs, various effects.
The ability to take photos with high-definition filters, support for larger photos and the possibility of geotagging and tagging photos, etc.
And, even, the addition of a private messaging to send photos without making them public. 🤫
On the commercial side, Instagram has inserted some sponsored advertising content(fee-paying), accessible to both companies and individuals.
What’s more, Instagram has discovered a way to catalog photos thanks to the invention of hashtags! ⚡
They are words, preceded a hashtag (#) which aim to identify multimedia content or create an Instagram catchphrase that’s easy to find.
FAQ: Who invented Instagram? Instagram Creator
Who is the founder of Instagram?
Instagram has two co-founders: Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger 👋
- Kevin Systrom is a software engineer and entrepreneur. 👉 Systrom was born in Holliston, Massachusetts.
Kevin studied management science and engineering and worked as a product marketing manager at Google, before moving on to launch your startup.
He was CEO of Instagram after co-founding it with Mike Krieger, and has resigned from Instagram in 2018.
- Mike Krieger is a software engineer and entrepreneur. 👉 Krieger studied symbolic systems at Stanford University.
Mike held the position of Director of Technology (CTO) of Instagram from the app’s launch until 2018 when he left Instagram.
He and Kevin Systrom co-founded another startup, known as “Artifact”, after leaving Instagram. 👍
Who is the CEO of Facebook?
Facebook was created by Mark Zuckerberg, 🌎 that genius of the Internet from “Silicon Valley” that we all know!
Mark Zuckerberg is the face of the Meta company and has the highest voting power due to the large number of shares it holds. ⚖️
However, it does not own 100% of Meta or Instagram, as ownership is diversified among shareholders from Meta.
What is Instagram founder country?
Although inspired by photos from a trip to Italy, Instagram’s founder country is the United States. 🚩
Instagram is an American platform from social networking a photo and video sharing company headquartered in Menlo Park, California.
It also has offices in San Francisco and New York. 🗽
That’s it! Now you know who is Instagram owned by. 😛
