Is your social media startup doomed to become a new feature on a different platform? Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and all the other major social media platforms have been stealing from each other since before we can remember. First, Snapchat made stories, and now every platform has stories. Next, TikTok made short video content, and now Instagram has reels. And no one even had followers until Twitter coined the term way back in 2007.
Trying to keep up with the trends
Now, we see this trend continue as younger generations latch onto new social media platforms. The number one free app in the iOS app store at the time of this recording is BeReal.
When the app tells you it’s “Time to BeReal,” you have two minutes to post whatever you’re up to. These prompts come at different times each day. It’s meant to give your followers a more authentic and unfiltered view of who you are.
Meta see, Meta Do
But now, Meta has confirmed that Instagram is releasing a prototype to compete with the new app called IG Candid. The prototype will also encourage users to post a candid picture of themselves at random times throughout the day.
Again, major platforms have always taken features from each other, so this isn’t a new ordeal. Remember Clubhouse? Now we have Twitter Spaces. But it does make it harder for social media innovators to carve out new platforms.
Who’s to blame here?
The system in place rewards already established social media platforms and makes it increasingly harder for outsiders to break through the mold. And don’t get me wrong, the platforms are not to blame. If they don’t play the system, their competitors will.
Is this an ethical practice? Or should we set up a trademarking system that prevents social media platforms from stealing features from each other? Maybe the social media space is crowded, and regulations would further complicate things, but the lack of competition is troubling.
