Meta's new policy that makes Instagram more like TikTok was not only criticized by general users. Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian, two public figures with millions of followers on Instagram, share the same concern.
Jenner shared a screenshot showing user @illumitati's post on Instagram Stories. The post contained text asking Instagram to stop copying TikTok.
"Make Instagram Instagram again," wrote the post shared by Jenner on Instagram Stories, as quoted from The Verge, Tuesday (26/7/2022).
"(Stop trying to be tiktok I just want to see funny photos of my friends). With respect, everyone," he continued.
Jenner's sister Kim Kardashian also shared the same post on her Instagram Stories. Currently, the post uploaded by the @illumitati account has received more than 1.3 million likes.
Not only Jenner and Kardashian, Instagram users who are annoyed to see their favorite platform look like TikTok have also created an online petition. One of them is the petition 'Make Instagram Instagram Again' on Change.org which already has more than 111 thousand signatures.
The change of Instagram to be more like TikTok is actually nothing new. Meta, as the owner of Instagram, has prioritized Reels which is a clone of TikTok as a future feature of Instagram.
Instagram has launched several programs to encourage its users to be more diligent in uploading Reels, including providing incentives for creators who make Reels popular.
Recently, Instagram also released a feature that makes all videos under 15 minutes Reels. They are also testing a new design for their Instagram feed with a fuller, more vertical screen like TiKTok.
But Jenner and Kardashian's comments might make Instagram users' complaints more audible. With 360 million followers, Jenner is the second most followed person on Instagram after Cristiano Ronaldo.
Interestingly, Jenner's words on social media turned out to have a big enough influence on the platform he was referring to. In 2018, Jenner criticized Snapchat's new design and said never to open the app again. His tweet on Twitter sent Snap's shares down 7%.