No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram

   Author(s): Sarah Frier  

        Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Year: 2020   

                                        

 Description: 

“Deeply reported and beautifully written” – Nick Bilton, author of "I am America"

Frier's post "Instagram: A (Scarce) History of the Most Culturally Decisive App of the Decade" tells the storey of how Instagram is the most culturally distinguishing app of the decade.

In 2010, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launched a photo-sharing app called Instagram, with one basic yet addictive feature: it will make everything you shot from your phone look more stunning. In the beginning, the founders were fostering a culture of photographers and artisan around the platform, but it has catched on fire fast. As one of the most promising tech firms, by March 2012 its reputation among young consumers spread after its founder dropped out of Harvard to follow his concept and dropped $1 billion on the venture a few years back.

I believe like this could well have been the culmination of a classic success storey. Instead, the cofounders remained on while Instagram agreed to concentrate on the networking facets of the service while treating their product as its own independent agency within the organisation. They told their staff they should only make adjustments when they are necessary, and even then defied Facebook's "grow-at-all-costs" theory for being innovative and celebrity minded. As Instagram started to expand and Mark Zuckerberg was starting to feel threatened by their popularity, they then went in ways in which he didn't approve of, and started censoring Instagram's content.

At its heart, No Filter is a human tale, as Sarah Frier uncovers how the company's actions have profoundly altered how we communicate with the world around us. Frier draws on unparalleled exclusive access—from the creators of Instagram, as well as staff, executives, and competitors; Anna Wintour of Vogue; Kris Jenner of the Kardashian-Jenner empire; and a plethora of influencers, from fashionistas with millions of followers to owners of famous dogs worldwide—to demonstrate how Instagram has profoundly changed the way we shop, eat, ride, and connect, all while battling to maintain the ideals which led to the company's success. The film NoFilter explores how Instagram's domination serves as a lens into our culture, exposing its tense relationship with technology, its quest for excellence, and the fight inside tech for the most precious commodity: our attention.

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