Instagram tops the list of most deleted apps in 2023

Instagram was the most deleted app of 2023, with over 1 billion users reportedly deleting their accounts as users seek authenticity. This trend reflects a broader shift in social media preferences, as users increasingly gravitate toward more authentic platforms that better meet their evolving needs. The app’s growing emphasis on commerce and the proliferation of advertisements and sponsored posts have left many users dissatisfied.

With 4.8 billion social media users globally, accounting for 59.9% of the world’s population and 92.7% of all internet users, the reach of these platforms is undeniable. On average, users engage with 6.7 different social networks each month, dedicating about 2 hours and 24 minutes daily to these activities. Despite their widespread popularity, social media apps can quickly rise and fall in favor with users.

Most Deleted Apps in 2023

According to TRG Datacenters, Instagram tops the list of most deleted apps in 2023. Instagram saw 12,678 searches per 100,000 people globally for “how to delete my account” in 2023, far surpassing any other social media app. Snapchat came in a distant second, with 1,597 searches per 100,000 people.

TRG Datacenter also calculated the number of people searching these specific terms each month per 100,000 individuals based on the global population.

Source: TRG Datacenters

According to data from TRG Datacenters, Instagram topped the list of social media networks users were most eager to delete, with over 1 million people worldwide searching “how to delete (my) Instagram account” each month in 2023. This translates to over 12,500 searches per 100,000 people globally.

“According to our data, Instagram is the social media network users were most eager to delete, with over 1 million people worldwide searching ‘how to delete (my) instagram account’ every month in 2023,” TRG Datacenters said.

It didn’t take long before the news of Instagram’s decline started to circulate on social media. On X, user DogeDesigner remarked, “The world is healing,” prompting a whimsical response from Elon Musk: “Lalala.”

Lalala https://t.co/8OHzKI7YpF

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 19, 2024

A Brief History of Instagram

Instagram’s journey began in 2010 with Kevin Systrom’s idea for Burbn, a location-based app inspired by Foursquare. Partnering with Mike Krieger, they pivoted to focus on mobile photography, leading to the creation of Instagram. Launched in October 2010, the app reached one million users within two months.

Early Instagram was defined by its square photo format and aesthetic filters like “Valencia,” which quickly set it apart. By April 2012, the app had expanded to Android and was acquired by Facebook for $1 billion.

Over the years, Instagram added features like Stories, Reels, and video chat, cementing its status as a social media giant with over two billion monthly active users. Despite its recent challenges, Instagram remains a significant player in the social media landscape.

A Legacy of Missteps

Launched on October 6, 2010, Instagram quickly soared in popularity by allowing friends to share edited photos, amassing over 2 billion active users. However, over the years, Instagram has drifted from its original purpose, leading to growing user dissatisfaction. In a similar vein, users are increasingly questioning the safety of other apps, prompting searches like WhatsApp safe to use as concerns about data privacy rise across various platforms.

Instagram has long been a leader in the social media realm, starting as a digital scrapbook. As Business Insider aptly put it, “Instagram became a verb, an aesthetic, and a generational signifier.” So, why are users now looking to leave the platform in droves?

The decline of Instagram can be attributed to several factors. Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has often ignored the demands of its power users, focusing excessively on its competitors instead. The platform’s attempts to dominate multiple categories have made it difficult for creators to monetize, and the introduction of poorly received products has only compounded the issue.

The removal of the chronological timeline in 2016 was the first major misstep, frustrating many loyal users. The introduction of Stories shortly after, mimicking Snapchat, and Reels in 2020 to compete with TikTok, indicated Instagram’s reactive rather than innovative approach. Most recently, Instagram launched Threads in 2023 as an alternative to Twitter, which initially saw 100 million downloads in just five days. However, the product was poorly received, leading to an 80% drop in users.

Over time, Instagram has introduced numerous features to stay relevant with consumers and competitors, including Stories, video, live streaming, and shopping. These additions have shifted the app’s original focus on photo-sharing. The platform has also become a hub for influencers, resulting in feeds filled with #ads, which some users feel detracts from their experience.

Despite these changes, Instagram still boasts 2 billion users worldwide. However, if the trend of a million users seeking to delete their accounts every month continues, the “Instagrammable” bubble could burst, potentially reshaping its landscape within a year.