Networks Are What Make Social Media Valuable
Last week, Instagram announced that it will now allow users to post photos of any size. This move has gathered criticism, since the limitation to square photos was a defining characteristic of the service. Many are concerned that Instagram is losing part of the charm that made it popular in the first place. However, as the author of this article argues, the value of Instagram was never in its square photos; it is its network that matters. Square photos were simply a interesting feature that helped get Instagram started. The author uses this same logic to argue that Twitter should remove its iconic feature, the 140 character limit, as well. He uses Facebook as an example of a social network that has changed repeatedly in features over the years yet has always kept its strong user base. People use Facebook because their friends do, not because of any particular feature. In theory, the same should hold true for Twitter and Instagram.
This concept is similar to the idea that a large network can have only one giant component. Instagram is the best example, as it occupies a very specific area: photo sharing. People can switch away from Instagram after this recent change, but where would they go? Other components in the online dedicated photo sharing network are very small, as there is little value in being part of another component alongside Instagram. Meanwhile, there is good incentive for people to join Instagram; all it takes is one friend’s interesting photos for someone to be interested and an edge to form. That person will then form more edges through triadic closure, since photos from their friend’s friends will likely interest them also. Due to this, the graph of Instagram continues to expand as more edges form.
With this in mind, the more people there are on Instagram, the more valuable of a network it becomes. Competitors are unlikely to ever become established in the photo sharing space, as the amount of nodes in Instagram’s giant component both draws people in and makes it disadvantageous for them to leave. The natural desire for people to be where there friends are will cause Instagram to continue to grow regardless of what features are implemented.