I lost my 10 year Instagram account to a bug in their system. For me, that means I lost 10 years of contacts and friends I gained worldwide. I lost memories, content and stories, adding to several months of time and energy spent creating. In a split of a second, all was gone.

 

I hate Instagram on so many levels. I feel like we have been fighting to #freethenipple (ref:this hashtag is hidden) for over 10 years, without any progress. I am sick and tired of fighting against their biased discriminating community guidelines, again, again and again. I am sick and tired of getting reported for sexual solicitation or bullying because I show some ass og naked skin. No more than what you see on commercials all over the world. They can do this because of their polarized political power. Monopoly over the whole market. They do as they please and earn big billion dollars. Disagree with what they do, or issues with you account? Then that sucks because they don't even have customer service…. 

I do believe they are trying their best to please everyone, but at some point, you got to be the change you want in the world, then the unrealistic goal of trying to make everyone happy. However the larger you get, the less control you also have on top to bottom. For example, they have to outsource their content reviewers to low socio-economic countries because of the high demand and they pay them pennies and work under sweatshop conditions. So understandably you are not gonna get a righteous review on your content, when people get paid per post they review and it is easier to deny than approve.

 

But after a 10 weeks break, I am back with a brand new account. Why would I even bother? In the world we live in today, I see the immense possibilities and efficiency of using Instagram that no other platform has. I love Instagram because it is so easy to keep in contact with friends and family. It makes me smile and laugh to see what my friends and family are up to. Most of us suck in maintaining contact with our friends abroad, but Instagram makes it one-click easy.  Like the saying goes; A picture/video contains 1000 words. This way of communicating is in many ways revolutionary for homo sapiens and this is definitely the future.

As an entrepreneur, Instagram is also a very efficient way to keep in touch with your followers. As many more are understanding what value they have in just being themselves, they can make a living out of it because of social media. Compared to randomized commercials you get on your tv, people on Instagram CHOOSE to follow you because they are genuinely interested in what you have to offer or inspire, meaning they are much more likely to support you by buying your products. You have direct contact with your community, which is gold worth in any industry.

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What does it mean to be an influencer and why is it that I feel it gets too much bad rep? Many people are haters of influencers and don’t recognize it as a proper job,  because all they see is superficial values and the promotion of commercial goods. However, are we not all influencers in one way or another?

As everyone influences each other, by just being themselves. Instagram just puts it on nuclear power and shows you that everyone has a unique voice and something meaningful to say. As long as you are genuine with yourself and your actions, there will always be someone who agrees and inspires you. Depending on whom you choose to follow you can get information on how to build a table, life hacks on plants, how to deal with trauma, how to be body positive, how to be a public speaker, and find new independent artists to support.

 

With my voice, I want to create a compassionate community that seeks a deeper connection with themselves and others, that is body and sex-positive. About liberation, empowerment, and exploration. But also shows real emotions, the up and the down, and how life is a roller coaster. And at the end of the day inspire people to dare to be themselves and not give a fuck what other people think.

 

Instagram is both good and bad, like everything else in the world. It just depends on your perspective. I am on Instagram because I believe this is the future we are headed too, both on a communicative level and in marketing. I don’t think there is any way around it, rather infiltrated it and improve it. Maybe even create more apps alike to decentralize their power.  Social media is a game-changer in our social world, so I am gonna use it to my benefit. I am excited to see where it leads us and what we will become.