💗 Instagram's Growing Heart

Most of the time, I intentionally stay off Instagram because, for me, it is the biggest time suck among social media platforms. I mostly log in when I know friends or family are traveling to amazing places worldwide, and I want to see their passport-infused photos and stories. When the inevitable “carousel of photos” from these trips arrives, I can’t help but like every photo. The problem is that there is very little systematic feedback or reward for liking the same post, which got me thinking…

What If… Instagram’s “like” or “heart” reaction grew more prominent with each like. Not that we are already too dependent on reactions like this, which would only exacerbate our social media addiction.

However, it could provide a delightful feedback experience that helps you express how much you appreciate a post. It would align with your feelings digitally, a psychological phenomenon known as affective priming. Visuals, animations, colors, and micro interactions can subconsciously reinforce or shift your emotional state to match the app’s intended experience.

Nonetheless, the downside of having one more reason to be addicted to your phone or to post on social media isn’t worth the trouble. Therefore, I think I’ll rate this idea as unfeasible.

Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.

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