JAKARTA - In the increasingly heated competition over social media, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri finally spoke up about the pressure from TikTok. In his testimony at the antitrust hearing against Meta, Mosseri bluntly admitted that Instagram must be "adaptated, or slowly die" if it wants to stay in the TikTok era.
Instagram, which previously successfully copied features from competitors such as Snapchat via Stories, is now doing the same thing again through TikTok-like Reels. This move turns out to be not just an expansion strategy, but also an attempt to save the platform's existence.
In an internal document presented in court, Mosseri wrote in March 2020 to his team, "We can't explain everything, but what's clear right now is that we have to adapt, and do it quickly. You grow up, or you die slowly."
This statement comes amid a lawsuit by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against Meta, the parent of Instagram, accused of buying competitors to kill competition. Mosseri's testimony confirms that Instagram still feels threatened by TikTok which could be a weapon for the FTC in court.
Instagram is no stranger to the 'adoption' strategy of other apps. Stories that originally belonged to Snapchat are now a core feature of Instagram. Reels was also present as a direct answer to the explosion of short video content in the style of TikTok. Even at the beginning of Reels' appearance, Instagram had punished content re-uploaded from TikTok by lowering its algorithmic rating.
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However, Reels is now quite popular among creators, although many think that TikTok's algorithm is still superior in reaching audiences.
Interestingly, TikTok is now facing serious pressure in the US. After Donald Trump returned to office, he extended the deadline for banning TikTok while looking for buyers from the US. However, this process is complicated because approval from the Chinese government is also needed.
If TikTok is completely banned, then Instagram is predicted to immediately fill the void in the short video market. With already mature Reels and a large user base, Instagram doesn't seem to miss the opportunity to reaffirm its dominance.
Adaptation or death is not just a slogan, but a bitter reality in the world of social media that continues to change quickly. And Instagram seems ready to do anything to remain relevant.
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