More Instagram drama: Users react to Facebook deal

By Michelle Maltais

April 9, 2012 12 AM PT

Maybe Instagram needs a better filter for how it announces its deals. Its user base seems to have a twitchy reaction with every announcement.

Last week, it was the end of the world as they knew it for iPhone users, who had the Instagram universe all to themselves until Android users were given the keys. It seemed a photo joust might have been in order.

And now Facebook has announced it’s buying the super popular photo-sharing app and social network for $1 billion.

As @HmSeb put it on Twitter, Instagram is in a relationship now, and it’s complicated.

And, as with any new relationship, there is no shortage of opinion and overreaction. Here’s a sampling of the unfiltered hyperbole:

“Instagram just officially died today,” wrote @AmirKassaei.

“I liked instagram before they sold out,” wrote @EAJosh.

Not everyone was turned off. Some said they might now reconsider. “I might install @instagram now that all the whiny hipsters are leaving,” wrote @commagere. And @benjaminjackson had a good point: “At least you can look forward to your mother being on Instagram soon.” Lovely.

Springing up are tweets and tips on how to break camp and pull out your content and links to delete your account altogether. But take a minute before clicking that link and maybe use more caution about leaving than you do about what you shoot or what filter to use. Facebook has said it plans to leave Instagram independent.
One man on the cyberstreet suggested this could actually solve a cultural quandary. Assuming the voice of Facebook, @DavidSlack tweeted that maybe job applicants won’t need to worry about those embarrassing pictures on Facebook anymore: “We’re buying Instagram to ensure photos of our era are blurred enough that no-one in the future can identify the stupidest people in history.”

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More Instagram drama: Users react to Facebook deal