Social Media Etiquette: Instagram Edition

This generation of kids has noticeably been more outgoing, be it in a positive or negative way. This could be from any number of reasons. It could be because of the subliminal messages in their Kidz Bop CDs. Could be because of the amount of groups they can be involved in. I choose to believe that a big part of it is social media. People feel comfortable saying things and dressing certain ways when they aren't directly judged. This generation doesn't change how they act when they transition from these outlets to real interaction. They don't know any better. One of the big outlets they use and just misunderstand is Instagram. This is my blog about

Instagram Etiquette

Background information. Instagram is a social media site where you post pictures. That's the main idea. You can follow your friends, athletes, celebrities, fan pages and their posts are all filed on a straight up and down feed for you to view.

Now, these rules and guidelines are all my opinion which means, more than likely, they are pretty accurate. And, out of all of the social media sites, Instagram has the least amount of restrictions. I'm sure people get upset about how somebody posts a selfie every single day. But Instagram is strictly pictures. Aside from food, you see your self every single day and thats why these 2 get the most postings. I think it gets annoying at times, but you also choose who you follow.

The first and foremost problem I have with Instagram users is the implementation of hashtags. Hashtags are # and they're used for searching for certain topics. For example: You post a picture of your Nikes, so then you hashtag it like #Nike. Then, if someone wants to look at pics that have to do with Nike, they search that tag. SIMPLE. Not hard to understand. Sometimes they're used as jokes. Which is fine because ironic hashtags are often better than the picture.

Example of purposeful #ing:

Those tags all have to do with the picture. And if somebody searched those they wouldn't be disappointed...mostly because those may be the dopest shoes I have ever seen. Whomever owns those must be really awesome and probably not compensating for anything.

Example of non-purposeful but good #ing:

Kevin hart is the MAN when it comes to this stuff. Just a good ole time.

And the next 2 make me cringe. These are examples of just dumb dumb dumb #ing:

#This #Is #Just #Really #Dumb. I mean, nobody is going to search any of those #s. I just don't even get it. I also follow this chick who tags #Cleavage in every pic no matter what. That's what we like to call an Instawhore. She needs as much attention as she can get. Likes = self-esteem.

Filters are awesome. However, don't brag about No Filters on your photo like we are supposed to be impressed that you actually are average looking.

Another no no is Facebooking or Twittering on Instagram...i.e. typing out a note, screen capping it, then posting it on Insta. GTFOH. You have FB. You have Twitter. Use them.

I know I mentioned selfies and how they are okay but annoying. One thing that is against protocol with selfies is when you commit a Blue Steel. If you get the reference, I don't need to explain it. If you don't get the reference, go to your kitchen sink, grab the greenest colored cleaning liquid you can find and have a chugging contest with yourself. Blue Steel refers to a movie called Zoolander with Ben Stiller who is a male model who makes one face.

If this is how your selfies on Instagram look like, you're mostly just self obsessed and screaming how lonely you are. Yes, you will get the same creepy guys liking all of them so don't complain about it.


Basically, you can get away with murder on Instagram. So just don't take advantage of it and digitally rape us. #BeNice #YOLO