Web 2.0 Pro's & Cons

INSTAGRAM

In this blog I will be looking into an aspect of Web 2.0, a website that uses technology, and discussing the pro's and con's of such an aspect, for example Instagram.

What is Instagram?

Instagram is an online social networking application that allows users who have signed up to an account, to share online pictures and videos to their followers and the public through other social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and many others. The application allows users the opportunity to edit and crop their images or videos before being published, allowing them to add a more personal touch to the image. It was launched in October 2010 and has since become rapidly popular across the world.
Users can post a hashtag '#' following a word below their image or video, for example, '#instagram', to create a link from that word, that will lead to many other images containing the same hashtag. Instagram has built an almost community among its users, with the sharing and communicating between million of people. Users can follow their favourite 'instagrammers', double tapping on any of their images posted to show that they like the image or video and are able to leave a comment. 
Below is an image of my personal Instagram, which I love using and posting on regularly allowing myself to often express emotions and share experiences through personal and reflective images. 

The reason Instagram has become so popular in my opinion is because of its simple and straight forward use, which is a great benefit and structure to a successful and popular app. I am a regular user of Instagram, and use the app to show off some photography skills as I have a great interest in that area, as well as sharing images and videos with my friends and family. Instagram gives the opportunity for artists to easily share their work to the public and fans, with many great photographers creating accounts. The celebrity factor is also a major benefit of Instagram, with all your favourite singers, actors, designers and models having their own account, fans are able to gain an insight into their everyday life with frequent posts being shared.

Although the app has been noticed as one of the most successful of our time, is has also caused a lot of controversy through illicit images of such things as drugs, and images of a sexual nature. With many Instagram users being of a young age, this does not allow for a safe environment of social networking for such young people to be involved in. Although Instagram is fact acting on any images that have been reported, and the removal of these images. 
Another negative result of Instagram is the fact that if your profile is not set as 'private', any one from the public can comment on your profile's images and videos, with the chance for many individuals to leave very inappropriate comments, which in many cases can lead to a form of 'cyber bullying'. This is a very serious matter and can have long lasting consequences for some people.