Spam Instagram accounts sweeping popularity over students
April 3, 2016
Today’s society is constantly creating and communicating through social media. Websites like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat have taken on a life of their own. Owning an account on various sites, is not enough for this generation. Teens have now taken interest in the idea of a ‘Spam’ Account on Instagram.
Spam accounts are on the rise as students see through this, they are able to post whatever and whenever they want. Teens are constantly worried about what their peers may think of them, but through a spam account, they do not have to worry. Spam accounts allow kids to have their own personal posts for whom they chose to follow them.
“I have a lot of funny pictures that I want to post and it [spam accounts] allow me to be honest about things I otherwise would not be able to be honest about,” sophomore Lydia Stannard said.
The ability to speak one’s mind through social media is a great way for teens to show their true emotion. This seems to be one of the main reasons the accounts are so popular.
“I use it to speak my mind mostly. There is certain things I would like to post on social media but can not, because it is either too controversial or too embarrassing,” junior Ava Coleman said. “Spam accounts kind of allow you to say what you want to an audience.”
One factor that makes the spam account different from a regular account, is the audience itself. You are able to select whom you wish to see the personalized pictures and captions. This seems to be an attraction to the accounts, as well as distaste towards them.
“I don’t like when people use them as a personal diary or only post negative things. I would much rather see positivity,” junior Arleigh Kraker said.
Running two Instagram accounts sounds like too much, but owners of the spam accounts claim to like their spam account more.
“I like spam accounts more because everyone is less superficial than they are on regular accounts and you don not have to worry about judgmental people because the spam accounts are just for fun,” Stannard said.
Social media users tend to take their social media accounts too seriously. Social media is supposed to be fun and a good way to connect with people all around the world. People should not have to worry about what they post or how often they post, but that is what it has lead to over the years as social media is becoming more and more popular. Spam accounts defy these judgments and constant worry about ones ‘feed’.
“You do not have to worry about offending people or worry about posting the right stuff and they are just in general more carefree than other types of social media accounts,” Stannard said.
The purpose of posting things online should be about expressing yourself and being able to show the world who you are. Spam accounts give you an inside look at someone’s mind and personal feelings. This can be very helpful to gain advice and even meet people who may be going through a similar issue, or think the same way.
“I know a lot of people who are able to tell personal stories and share their stories and share their thoughts,” Coleman said. “I know some girls who struggle with self harm or eating disorders and they are able to talk about their problems and even give advise to people.”
Not everything has to be so serious online as well. Spam accounts are also used as an uplifting and funny way for kids to express themselves.
“I think they [spam accounts] are so popular because they give people a fun outlet to post what they are thinking along with funny pictures,” Kraker said.
Alex Schwarz • May 5, 2016 at 8:19 pm
This was quite an interesting article to read and it was written in a way that I could easily understand, because I do not use social media. It was very interesting to find out about this new trend even though I find it a bit odd. The article reflected good research and interviews and was written professionally.
Cole Lebourgeois • May 4, 2016 at 6:12 pm
This article was very informative because first off I didn’t know what a spam account meant so after reading this I now know. The quotes were pretty good and the facts were also good too because you go deep into detail with what you can do with this spam account.
Sarah McCarthy • May 3, 2016 at 10:35 pm
I find this article very interesting to read. I thoroughly enjoy following spam accounts, and this article did a great job explaining part of the reason why I like them. It truly brought out what spam accounts are for, despite how silly they may seem. This article also is informative for many that don’t have a spam account, or don’t know what they are. Although this is a trend that will die out eventually, this article truly allows spam accounts to always be remembered.
Shenyn Gale • May 3, 2016 at 9:21 pm
I read this article because I follow many spam accounts and really enjoy reading all the things they have to say. I really liked how this article not only talked about spam accounts but social media accounts through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook in general. I also liked how the writer not only talked about what’s good about them but she also touched on what some people do not like about them.