Instagram Rolls Back Changes After It Desperately Tried to Be TikTok and Failed (Better Luck Next Time)

Instagram recently underwent some changes. You may have noticed that instead of your usual feed, the app was opening on full-screen videos and photos. You may also have noticed that you had more recommendations (and fewer friends) in your feed, too.

Well, Instagram is now backpedaling on those changes after everyone and their mother (OK, mostly famous people like Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian) complained about the so-called improvements.

The controversy started after Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri posted a video on social media last week in which he blabbed about the app’s evolution, stating, “There’s a lot happening on Instagram right now. I wanted to address a few things we’re working on to make Instagram a better experience.”

But even Mosseri admitted the changes were “not good yet.” To make matters worse, he invoked users to “Please let me know what you think.”

Be careful what you wish for Adam, because we the people have opinions, and we are not afraid to express them, especially when it comes to apps like Instagram. The main complaint was that Instagram was trying too hard to be like TikTok. (One TikTok is enough, trust us. We only have so much time to waste.)

People on the internet started pleading via petition that Meta (Instagram’s parent company) “make Instagram Instagram again.”

Mosseri tried to take all the criticism in stride – because God forbid anyone in charge admit they made a mistake.

“I’m glad we took a risk — if we’re not failing every once in a while, we’re not thinking big enough or bold enough,” Mosseri told Platformer. “But we definitely need to take a big step back and regroup. [When] we’ve learned a lot, then we come back with some sort of new idea or iteration. So we’re going to work through that.”

For now, Instagram is pausing some of those irksome changes and cutting down on the number of recommendations in your feed, but rest assured, it won’t be long until the powers that be start tinkering with your favorite photo app again.

Cover Photo: Tim Robberts (Getty Images)