Yes, Instagram has reportedly attempted to separate Reels from the main app.
The CEO of the social media platform Adam Mosseri informed employees of the possible relocation this week, Business publication The Information reported, citing an individual who heard the comments.
It’s not the first time we’ve heard this; Meta once mentioned that they were trying to return Instagram to its “former glory” when all we see were pictures of our friends and followers instead of another TikTok knockoff. It’s not like the Reels in Instagram are any better than the ones in TikTok, anyway, so maybe it is the right call for Meta to separate the two from each other.
Why The Sudden Decision for Reels from Meta?
I can think of multiple reasons why Meta decides Reels is best separated from the main platform. For starters, short-form videos on Reels, on major accounts, are mostly reposts from TikTok. They edit videos, they put some music on, they put clips together and they first post on TikTok, before downloading them to be reposted on Instagram, as Reels.
So, they are just duplicates of the same content. It’s a good thing for those who do not have TikTok to still have access to the videos they can’t find on that platform, since they can see it on Reels. But the main problem remains: there is very little—to almost none, even—originality in terms of content on Reels.
You can complain about TikTok having some of the most cringy posts from some of the users on that platform, sure, but at the very least (I say this in the lightest commendable way possible) they are original.
Plus, you can’t deny that Instagram is hardly supervised.
There are way too many crude and suggestive posts on Instagram that are hardly regulated by the developers (or whoever’s responsible).
A couple of days ago, an error occurred on Instagram, where there was a MASSIVE surge of graphic and violent content that flooded the explore and suggestion feed on that platform. Unwanted posts of gore and porn could be seen by God-knows-how-many people—including potential children—on that platform.
If THAT isn’t concerning enough to start separating the Reels from Instagram, I’m not sure what will be.
Outrage from The Public
Well, it’s not good news for everyone, that’s for sure.
Some would very much prefer Reels to stay within the app. Some want it to be separated, bringing back a Pinterest-like vibe again. If Reels is separated from Instagram, it would definitely help with the cluttered interface of that app in particular, especially on the explore tab.
It helps that users wouldn’t have to fight for visibility, too. There are digital comic artists struggling to make ends meet because of unnecessary additions like Reels present on that platform. With Reels present—combined with our generation’s short attention span—regular posts can hardly attract attention from the public. Instead, we see short-form videos with clickbait thumbnails, which are videos stolen taken from TikTok and reposted on Instagram.
On the other hand, a standalone app means there would be another application for users to download if they struggle with the FOMO syndrome. It’s not like the contents on Reels are original in the first place, but it will definitely take the users some time to adjust to the new layout of the app without Reels present. If they couldn’t, they would need to download an additional app for them to watch Reels; another expense on their storage.
What I can say is that no decision will make everyone happy. I wouldn’t say it is a great or a wrong move from Meta to separate Reels from Instagram—it is entirely up to the developers’ goals in making the decision. If, let’s say, separating Reels would boost competition with TikTok more directly by offering a platform solely focused on short-form video content, then perhaps it is the right move.
Anyway, if you are interested in reading more news and current issues, feel free to check out more of them here. See you in the next entry!
A ’00 Malaysian freelance writer for MugenMilano. Occasionally writes for fun; otherwise, going to the gym and playing video games would be the R&R for Hariz. Having a keen interest in the area of gaming and technology, Hariz’s written materials would mostly be tech-related and gaming news, particularly in adventure, horror, and fighting genre. Doesn’t stop him from writing other interesting topics, though, as long as it is worth checking out.
