The computing innovation I chose was Instagram. Created for users to share photos and videos, Instagram is a mobile app taking over the social networking game. The purpose is to display diversity, culture, and beliefs through pictures and videos; to share content. The function of Instagram is to collect data about users and produce similar content. My artifact illustrates the purpose of the app by showing what it looks like through visuals, the objective of the app, and how users can navigate it. This is shown through the images and texts featured in the artifact. I created my artifact on Photoshop which was simple and time effective. For my development process, I opened the Photoshop app and chose a blue background. Next, I place the Instagram logo image into the artifact and added four more pictures.
Then using the computing tool, Photoshop, and added textual evidence that I found in my research. Using techniques in Photoshop, I placed the pictures in the best order and used text to pull it all together resulting in an aesthetically pleasing visual. Instagram is a social media network that has changed the game of technology, however, Instagram’s influence on teenage culture can be harmful. Instagram is not only a personal activity for most millennials today, but also a platform for companies and brands to grow. The beneficial effects of Instagram are the platform for businesses grow, the chance for loved ones to share pictures of each other’s lifestyle, and a way to learn and educate about different societies, or cultures. Family members can share images together, while students can learn about a certain topic by viewing images and videos about them. Businesses can reach larger amounts of people through sponsorships with popular Instagrammers.
Today, for the society of millennials and teenagers, Instagram is almost the most influential form of technology. Instagram, however, can have a harmful effect on impressionable teenagers. Studies show a connection between Instagram and depression in young teenagers while Instagram is considered the most harmful app for mental health. Ties between social media and depression have been found between young people from the ages 14-24. Studies show that those individuals were most likely to combine Instagram with negative thoughts and low self-esteem. In worse cases, Instagram can lead to cyberbullying or stalking because of harmful comments and pictures. Around 10,000 people ages 12-20 said that cyberbullying is due to Instagram. These uncontrollable effects are harmful and ultimately damaging. Instagram can influence followers and collect data on cyber trends. The data Instagram consumes is the information and content users provide, networks and connections, an individual’s usage, information about online purchases made on Instagram, and actives and habits of people using the app. Using the app for only an hour can lead up to Instagram collecting 100 MB of data per user.
Instagram then produces similar data, such as images and videos that the user might like. When a user “likes” a certain picture on Instagram, that suggests that the user enjoys a certain topic, then Instagram will produce more data, or images, similar to the one liked by the user. Instagram thrives on personalized experiences that are unique to each user; Instagram sorts through connections, preferences, and interests based on the data collected from the user. This can be concerning because the app can automatically access and track a user’s location, habits, interests, friends, and followers. This is a data privacy concern because most Instagrammers do not even realize the mass amounts of personal information they are giving out every day. Instagrammers give out personal information to the app such as emails, phone numbers, and even contact lists. That sounds like a privacy invasion to me!
