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This is a very real timeline of events on this day, March 13, 2019 – a date that will live in infamy. It’s the day that Instagram died. OK, it didn’t die, but it’s been down for nine hours and counting, at the time of writing.
Now, we’re not going to lie and say that we don’t check Instagram every 20 minutes, because we do. And we feel personally attacked by this outage, which has apparently affected many of the world’s biggest websites, including Facebook and its apps Instagram, Oculus and WhatsApp.
It’s been hours since Facebook and Instagram released statements on Twitter (isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?), and the internet is speculating wildly about the causes of the outage and, more importantly, how long it will take to resolve the issue.
In an age in which people are making a living as Instagram influencers, this seemingly minor first-world problem may actually have long-term effects, which has left us wondering: What if #instagramdown never ends?
As travelers new to the blogging scene, we’ve been religiously posting on our Instagram account almost every day for the past six months in an effort to build both a network and an audience. We want to inspire as many couples as we can to explore this beautiful world – and how can we do that without the power of social media?
Yes, Twitter is still very much alive and well. But it’s not a social channel that puts photos first. It’s not the first stop for travelers looking for #bucketlist inspo or searching geotags to find that IG-worthy destination.
Instagram has become part of many travelers’ daily routines, including ours. It’s where we connect, share ideas and encouragement, explore through the lens of fellow adventurers and inspire others to go out and experience all that this world has to offer.
It’s an app for dreamers. And, as corny as it sounds, it’s one that makes dreams come true for many users. Instagram influencers make millions of dollars, and it’s projected that Instagram influencer marketing could reach $2.3 billion (with a B) by next year, topping YouTube as the go-to social channel for brands looking for ambassadors, partners, models and the like.
Without Instagram, an entire multibillion dollar industry would cease to exist. Suddenly, this minor “issue” or internet glitch seems like a much bigger deal – whether we make money on the app or not.
So is #instagramdown the end of the (digital) world as we know it? Only time will tell.
Update: Instagram was back within an hour after we posted this. You may be thinking, “Wow, you’re dramatic!” and you may be right. BUT. I think this whole debacle has spurred some interesting conversations about our reliance on fleeting technology and apps, and may prompt some brands (and influencers) to avoid putting all of their eggs into one basket.