I’ve been seeing this more and more in comments, and it’s got me wondering just how big this issue really is. A lot of people feel trapped in apps like Discord, WhatsApp, and Instagram, but can’t get their friends to leave.
It’s really annoying when you suggest trying something new, whether it’s a different app or just not using these platforms so much but sometimes it can feel like no one wants to go first.
So I’m curious, what apps do you feel most trapped in? And have you tried convincing your friends to leave them? What happened? Is it an issue for you, or are you just going along with the flow?
Looking forward to hearing if this is as common as it feels!
You could at least move to Pixelfed.
I doubt your instagram following is enough to make a difference from what you’d get on Pixelfed.
It seems I didn’t communicate my reason for having Instagram well enough. I don’t have access to the “feed” or following people (it won’t load unless I accept some terms, which I won’t). I have an account with the messaging function bridged to my Matrix account, which lets me receive messages and (when it works) reply to them to organize moving to a better platform.
It’s the best solution I found if I want to keep contact with people I meet when going out or traveling. Phone numbers barely work (I still can’t call or message any German numbers, never found out why), and everyone I meet has Instagram. I just give them my username, they can add me easily, and then later over Instagram direct messages we figure out how to get them signed up for Matrix or Signal.
Many people probably follow artists on them that will never move to pixelfed so they stay here.
Good point. The “follower” mentality is still a foreign concept to me.
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to wrap my head around what goes through the average instagram user’s mind. I forget that a lot of them are eager to follow instead of lead.