A “finsta” is short for a fake Instagram account that many users have. They keep the accounts private and only let close friends follow them. Typically, it’s their friend group that will be able to follow the account and see the content being posted. These accounts are way more casual, including memories of someone’s life. These memories could include photos from a party they went to, a vacation dump, unfiltered posts or inside jokes between friends. Having a finsta account is popular for many high school and college students who want to be able to post fun pictures without the pressure of a public account with thousands of people to view the post. Over the years, social media has grown tremendously, and most people want to keep a certain display of themselves on their “main” account.
For most Instagram users, their account goes deeper than just a place to post pictures and stories. Most people use Instagram as a way for people to judge and perceive them. It is a reflection of how they want to be seen. Usually when someone says “Do you know this person” an ideal reaction is to search them up on Instagram, because of this many people want their account to be pleasing and impress people. The ordinary details of everyday life are left out of main Instagram accounts. Having a finsta account offers a place where people can share moments they would not want on their public account for everyone to see. They are able to be fully themselves and share unfiltered pictures or videos from their camera roll for only close friends to see.Â
Posts on a finsta account could consist of random jokes, blurry pictures and unfiltered pieces from everyday life. The content is not the only thing that makes finstas and main accounts different; it is who is selected to follow the account. Users are careful about who they let follow the account, limiting the audience to best friends, siblings, roommates, teammates or close friends. Having a smaller audience can make the account more personal. Also, these accounts are ways for people to stay connected with others. For college students, they can use these to keep up with what is happening with their other friends from home. They can see what their friends are up to and see who they have been hanging out with. Finstas are similar to Snapchat private stories in a way because only certain people can see the content.Â
The rise in popularity of finsta accounts shows how people want to use social media in a more casual way. Instagram includes a feature of close friends where only friends you select can view the story or post; this way, people can limit viewers without creating an entire new account. Social media does provide ways to form connections with others, but not everyone has access to it. The finsta trend highlights that social media can feel judgemental or give people a constant feeling they need to keep up with others’ accounts. Finstas eliminate the high pressure to meet expectations. As a college student myself, I have a finsta account, and the majority of my friends do as well. Social media is extremely common for teenagers to have, but over the years it has become more of a competitive environment, trying to keep feeds aesthetic and impressive. Finstas make it seem more casual and a healthier environment.Â