Instagram speaks out after Kylie Jenner slams them for ‘copying’ TikTok

Kylie Jenner’s calling out of Instagram has been followed by the app’s CEO addressing backlash over changes to the platform (Kylie Jenner/Instagram)

Kylie Jenner has joined the millions of Instagram users who have criticised the social media platform for introducing an update that makes it comparable to TikTok.

The 24-year-old reality TV star shared a viral post which calls for Instagram to scrap its plans to move away from its roots as a picture-sharing app to one that focuses more on videos.

Like its hugely successful rival TikTok For You page, Instagram users have recently been introduced to an interface when scrolling through their feed that is filled with video posts from accounts they do not follow.

Before the change, it was primarily picture images from the feeds of users they were familiar with.

“Make Instagram Instagram again,” the image posted by Jenner states. “Stop trying to be TikTok. I just want to see cute photos of my friends. Sincerely, everyone.”

The Kylie Cosmetics founder captioned the graphic: “PLEASEEEEEEE”.

Jenner and her sister Kourtney Kardashian’s re-post of this graphic generated millions of likes on Instagram (.)

The post, which was initially made viral by the meme account @illuminati along with a call to action that urged Instagram users to sign a petition, was then shared by Jenner’s older sister Kourtney Kardashian, with the caption: “PRETTY PLEASE”.

Following the Kardashian-Jenner’s – who have 686 million followers combined – complaints, Instagram’s CEO Adam Mosseri released a video on both Instagram and Twitter to address the backlash.

“We’re experimenting with a number of different changes to the app, and so we’re hearing a lot of concerns from all of you,” he said in a video posted on the app.

“I want to be clear, it’s not yet good. And we’re going to have to get it to a good place if we’re going to ship it to the rest of the Instagram community.”

He went on to promise that pictures would still be an important part of Instgram.

“I want to be clear. We’re going to continue to support photos,’ he added. “It’s part of our heritage.

“That said, I need to be honest. I do believe that more and more of Instagram is going to become video over time. We see this even if we change nothing. We see this even if you just look at chronological feed.”

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Instagram has launched the careers of millions of unknown users and helped to elevate the status, relevance and financial standing of celebrities and public figures.

The Kardashians and Jenners are estimated to make over £1 million per post in advertising, while popular influencers can command up to six figures a post.

However, TikTok, with its fast paced feed that is primarily video-based, has taken a big chunk of the social media market and become a huge force to be reckoned with.

The recent introduction of reels on Instgram – which are immersive videos where users can express themselves creatively, showcase their brands, has been a hit and created several Instgram stars who have gone on to make lucrative deals and generate an army of followers.

It’s success has helped Instagram be more competive with the likes of TikTok.