Instagram and Reddit should feel awkward…

So Twitter went to shit.

But something really strange happened as folks started talking about Twitter alternatives: Mastodon emerged as the kool kid to replace Twitter. And I follow the who’s who of Tech and Journalism on my Twitter feed.

Instagram got a few mentions.

Reddit got laughed out of the room.

No one mentioned Facebook. (I may have seen a tweet about Private FB Groups, which upon reflection may have been a joke.)

Tumblr’s existence was questioned at one point.

All of this is to say two things:

• One: it is stunning that people did not en masse transition to Instagram or Reddit when things started going south, and instead gave a lesser known (more complicated) social platform a go (Mastodon).
• Two: it almost seems like Twitter and Instagram were servicing two (culturally) very different audiences. I always knew this to be true. But the cultural indifference to Instagram, in the face of Twitter’s demise, made me realize how different these user bases might really be.

I m sure all social media platforms are seeing a growth spurt now that the Blue Bird has been roasted to no end. I am sure even Facebook will pickup a few users.

But Insta and Reddit must be wondering why Mastodon got crowned as the alt-Twitter.

Pretty sure it does not mean much. But still. Awkward?

Edit: the Verge just put out a list of Twitter alternatives: https://www.theverge.com/23429095/twitter-social-network-alternatives-mastodon-reddit-tumblr-cohost … as I surmised from my Twitter chatter, Mastodon is the first option, and Instagram did not seem to get a mention (from a quick scan, I could be wrong). #awkward…

— vijay,

#microblogging in Medium, while figuring out decentralized social media networks (sigh)