Instagram is undoubtedly one of the world's biggest social networks. Extremely popular for its unique visual appeal, its app has held a firm place in users' hearts since its inception. But where does it stand in relation to GAFAM? What exactly is GAFAM, a term that's not exactly new? In this article, we'll shed some light on the subject and see who owns Instagram.
If you use Instagram, here are a few articles that might interest you:
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Who owns Instagram?
Quick answer: Instagram belongs to Facebook (META)But you can find out more by reading the article to the end.
What does GAFAM mean?
GAFAM is made up of the world's five leading IT companies. It is an acronym of their initials, which can be expanded by their names: Google, Apple, Facebook (META), Amazon, Microsoft. These companies were formed in the last decades of the twentieth century and in the years 2000 and 2010.
Initially, there were four of them (GAFA), but later Microsoft joined them. This system not only drives the IT world, but is also a pillar of global economic development. Admittedly, they have competing groups that are similar to them, such as NATU or BATX, and their sales do not exceed those of the biggest industrial powers, but they are the pioneers thanks to a considerably large stock market value.
Where does Instagram fit in among the GAFAMs?
Instagram's name is certainly not listed directly among the names of the "Big Five" (as they are often called), but it does indeed belong to one of them. But before tackling the subject, it arouses curiosity to know: who really had the idea of inventing this application?
Instagram: where does it come from?
Instagram was originally co-founded in October 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. It started out as a geolocation application they called "Burbn. But the concept was becoming more and more like that of Foursquare (a competing application), so they wanted to distinguish themselves. So they restructured it and revived it under the name "Instagram", which is a contracted form of "Instant Telegram ("instant telegram"), reflecting CEO Kevin Systrom's passion for photography.
The app was then crowned "App of the Year" by Apple in 2011, just one year after its creation. The small startup continued to grow until it acquired 100 million users in 2012, when the two young entrepreneurs decided to sell it...
Which of these Web giants owns Instagram?
On April 9, 2012, the co-founders of Instagram announced the acquisition of their company, worth one billion USD, by Facebook (META). The latter, in fact, is the Gafam that currently owns this platform (along with that of Whatsapp). Six years later, in the summer of 2018, eight years after its creation, the application obtained a billion monthly users. Then, his two bosses stopped collaborating with Mark Zuckerberg and left the Facebook social network for good to embark on new adventures and unleash their creativity.
Let's go back to the background of the Instagram acquisition. In 2012, the owner of GAFAM Meta (Facebook)Mark Zuckerberg, issued a statement to the effect that he had acquired the social network. In this way, Meta (Facebook) becomes the owner of Instagram. As such, the startup has merged with Meta Group (Facebook) in 2012. The owner of Meta wanted to obtain the Instagram social network for its user base and also because he saw the coming trend of mobile devices. Thanks to Instagram, Facebook specializes in photography and is one step ahead of its competitors.
At the time, Meta's main competitor was none other than Google, so to surpass it, it was necessary for the Meta group to buy Instagram. Indeed, Google could have taken control of Instagram had Méta (Facebook) not stepped in quickly and completed its takeover. This proactive purchase of Instagram helped Facebook avoid censorship like MySpace. Was the takeover a success? The answer is yes! What's the proof? In 2024, Instagram is now one of today's exclusive social networks!
