Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner criticize Instagram for ‘trying to be like TikTok’

Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner criticize Instagram for ‘trying to be like TikTok’ with changes that promote Reels instead of photos – as the platform’s boss defends the move and says it will ‘become video over time

  • The criticism comes as Instagram redesigned its app to put Reels as the frontrunner
  • Jenner and Kardashian’s complaint is that the redesign echoes that of TikTok’s platform
  • The pair urged Instagram to stop being like TikTok and focus more on photos
  • Instagram chief Adam Mossier shared a Reel Tuesday morning addressing such complaints, but did not mentioned Jenner or Kardashian in the clip
  • He said the app is testing new features and designs, but it will focus more on videos moving forward 

Kylie Jenner, who is the most-followed woman on Instagram, and her older sister Kim Kardashian are urging the platform in a Story to ‘Make Instagram Again, after they said the app is ‘trying to be like TikTok. 

The disapproval comes as Instagram is increasingly promoting its Reels, its form of a short-video feature that seems to have taken a page from TikTok’s playbook. 

The Story message suggests that the sisters prefer Instagram to return to its roots of focusing on photo sharing. ‘Stop trying to be tiktok i just want to see cute photos of my friends,’ reads part of the message.

Jenner has 360 million followers including Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, who coincidently shared a video Tuesday morning to address the reality-show celebrities’ distaste of the redesign – but he does not mention them by name in his short video.

Mosseir explained that he and the rest of the Instagram team foresee the platform ‘going to become video over time,’ because video is the most popular content shared and consumed on the platform.

Kylie Jenner led the movement to ‘Make Instagram Instagram Again.’ She voiced her distaste for the app’s new redesign that is similar to TikTok

Meta launched Reels in August 2020 in response to the growing dominance of TikTok had in the video sharing market. It now works across Instagram and Facebook.

However, it seems Meta’s efforts were just not good enough to keep hold of its users  

Now, many users will see full-screen Reels as they scroll through their feed and are shown content from other users with the hopes you will follow them – all of which Jenner says is far too much like TikTok.

Mossier, however, addressed these concerns in his Tuesday Reel, noting the full-screen videos are a test and admitted the redesign is ‘not yet good,’ but he and the team are working on improvements. 

Jenner's (left) Story is regarding Instagram's new redesign that she says is like TikTok. Jenner's sister, Kim Kardashian (right), shared the same Story an hour after

Jenner’s (left) Story is regarding Instagram’s new redesign that she says is like TikTok. Jenner’s sister, Kim Kardashian (right), shared the same Story an hour after

The content suggestion is always not on point, as many users are baffled to why they are being shown certain things they have no interest in. The Instagram Chief, again, admits the app is ‘doing a bad job ranking.’

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri addresses such complaints, but said it is evolving with the world and the world is video

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri addresses such complaints, but said it is evolving with the world and the world is video

He also highlighted the larges complaint Instagram has received – its lack of emphasis on photos.

Mossier said that he ‘love[d] photos’ and that pictures will always have a home on the social media platform, but the team is looking ahead and the world is video sharing.

However, last year he outright said Instagram is ‘not a photo-sharing app anymore.’ 

Jenner and Kardashian may be the faces of the protest, but the change is hurting people not in the limelight.

Rob Sheridan, an artist and writer from Tacoma, Washington, took his frustrations to Twitter, noting Reels is keeping his audience hostage unless he makes dipsh*t videos, which he says ‘is not what I do.’

‘And don’t say ‘just quit Instagram.’ I would love to. But as any independent creator or small business will tell you, you are invisible without social media,’ Sheridan tweeted.

Mossier may not have touched on Instagram’s rival TikTok in the Tuesday Reel, but he has encouraged users to stop sharing TikToks on Instagram.

Instagram said it wants to focus on original content, giving creators the tools they need to publish directly to Reels and ‘make sure credit is going to those who deserve it.’

In a Twitter post, Mosseri said Instagram would now focus its algorithm to reward original creators with improved tags and rankings for originality.

‘Creators are so important to the future of Instagram, and we want to make sure that they are successful and get all the credit they deserve,’ he said.



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