Instagram TikTok-ifies The Grid

Instagram has updated the grid on all user profiles -- similar to TikTok’s home feed -- altering one of the social-media platform’s original aesthetic features.

Thumbnail images now have a more vertically aligned look, compared to the square image display users have been accustomed to for the past 15 years.

Instagram launched its grid update on the same day TikTok sent announcements to its 170 million users in the U.S. explaining that its service is temporarily unavailable due to a law banning the app in the region.

Social-media platforms have been preparing for this possibility for months and Instagram is no exception. Over the past week, the Meta-owned app has been working hard to set itself up as the main alternative to TikTok, extending its short-form video feature Reels to three minutes in length (a move also made by YouTube), and launching a new mobile video editing tool, which features “a full suite of creative tools.”

Instagram's shift to a TikTok-like grid is another example of big tech platforms prioritizing trends over individuality, reflecting a troubling lack of innovation in favor of imitation. While this move may enhance user engagement, it also underscores the monopolistic behavior of social media giants who replicate successful features instead of fostering healthy competition and originality. Conservatives should view this as a reminder of the importance of promoting free-market principles in the tech industry, encouraging diverse platforms to thrive rather than allowing a few dominant players to dictate the digital landscape. This trend calls for greater accountability and transparency in how these platforms shape our online experiences.~Political Media

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