Instagram has been in our lives since the platform’s launch in 2010, and the ownership of the platform has been a matter of attention ever since. The platform’s founder is Kevin Systrom, but the app now belongs to Meta, the biggest social media networking merger ever. Considering the ownership of Instagram is a complex issue, let’s look for an answer to the question “Does Google own Instagram”, and review the past ownership of the platform.
Does Google Own Instagram: A Look on History
Instagram is among the most successful social media platforms ever, and various organizations have attempted to claim the platform in the past. As the founder of the platform sold the rights to Meta in 2012, Instagram is now managed by a consortium of social media networks.
Still, people often mistake Google with Meta and think the ownership of Instagram belongs to Google. So, let’s investigate the question “Does Google own Instagram” to debunk this myth, and take a close look at the ownership history of the app.
1. Google: A Monopoly Over Internet
Google is possibly the biggest networking organization ever, with hundreds of millions of visits every day. Although Google was once merely a search engine, the organization expanded very successfully and now has either direct or indirect access to most fields on the Internet.
Still, although Google owns one of the biggest social media networks that is YouTube, it has no ownership of Instagram. Other than integrating a highly functioning web app on Google Chrome, Google has no direct ties with the organization of Instagram. Instead, Instagram has belonged to Meta since 2012, a big social media consortium.
2. The New Owners Since 2012
Instagram was founded by Kevin Systrom in 2010 and was purchased by Meta in 2012. Meta, the company that also owns WhatsApp and Facebook, is putting considerable effort into successfully managing Instagram. The platform has been receiving constant upgrades and updates since its purchase in 2012, and the overall experience on the platform has never failed to meet expectations.
Read also: The Impact of Social Media on Recruitment: Best Practices for Effective Hiring
Meta: A Fitting Owner of Social Media Platforms
After being briefly owned by the founder of the platform between 2010 and 2012, Instagram has been under the management of Meta since 2012. Owned by Mark Zuckerberg, Meta simultaneously manages and maintains big platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Let’s examine how successful Meta has been in managing these platforms and compare the management with that of Instagram.
1. WhatsApp
WhatsApp is by far the most popular online platform, as millions of people are using the app every day. The app became so popular that it out-performs the messaging tools of many popular phone manufacturers. Meta has adopted a “don’t fix it if it’s not broken” attitude towards WhatsApp, and maintained the platform over the years with minor tweaks and additions.
Since their purchase of the platform in 2014, Meta added features such as stories, in an attempt to make the WhatsApp experience more compelling and engaging. Still, people mainly use the platform for communication purposes, and features such as posting pictures or stories are reserved for platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.
2. Instagram: Has Meta Been Successful?
Considering the growth rate of the platform since being sold to Meta in 2012, it’s easy to assume that Meta has been successful in managing Instagram. New features are continuously added to the platform to enrich the Instagram experience, and the new additions are hardly ever disliked by the community.
The addition of features like stories, notes, videos, and reels has happened under Meta’s management. Seeing the appreciation of these features by the community, Meta is likely to keep the momentum high and bring Instagram to new peaks.
Moreover, Meta’s simultaneous management of numerous social media platforms enables a more stable and harmonious social media experience for the frequent users of the platform.
Fairly Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)
1. Is Meta Likely to Buy More Platforms?
There has been no announcement on this matter by Meta, but the company will likely grow and expand their online presence. Considering their success over the years, we can never be sure that Instagram will be the last platform they will have ever purchased.
2. Is Facebook Managed by Meta?
Practically, yes. Facebook does not exist as a company anymore and is rather known as Meta, but the platform still uses the former name online. Like Twitter; Facebook is a catchy name and has a place in the minds of many, and Meta is unlikely to rename Facebook as “Meta” entirely.
