PALATINE, IL — “Finstagram”, often referred to as simply “Finsta”, is a booming phenomenon in the realm of social media. “Finstas are private accounts that you only let your closest friends follow,” said Jake Schmeling, 16, a sandwich artist at the neighborhood Subway. “You post things you wouldn’t want people other than your friends to see, including unattractive selfies, random stories about your day, and what you really believe about the world,” he explained further.
Schmeling has agreed to reveal his elusive “Finsta.” To date, “real” Schmeling (@jakeschmeling) has over 400 Instagram followers, yet only has 23 followers on the concealed Finstagram account (@fakeschmeling). Here is a side-by-side comparison:
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According to Schmeling, there are strict guidelines for posting on public accounts, “you must play by the established rules on Instagram. The platform has been boiled down to an exact formula for a successful account.”
For example, posting multiple pictures per day is generally considered faux pas. Users are also careful in only posting images that invoke jealousy, inspiration, and visual stimulation. This is not the case on a Finsta. Anything goes. Mundane images, screen shots of text conversations, and unflattering selfies are totally acceptable. “There is no pressure whatsoever. I can post that picture of me hanging out with my unattractive friend, I can post heartfelt thoughts, and I can fully be the shitty person that I am…no hold backs.”
“I can post as many politically incorrect memes as I want without worrying about offending the blacks, the gays, or the libtards” said Schmeling.
Schmeling stressed the fact that the Finsta does not supplant his original account, “don’t get me wrong, I use both accounts daily. I have a public image to maintain. I still want all the likes I can possibly get from my regular Instagram. At the same time, I also need an outlet to connect with friends in a more safe way.”
A Fake Account To Be A Truer Self?
Asked if he had ever considered using his main account the same way he uses the Finsta, Schmeling shuddered, “I could never actually be myself on there. I need the world to think I’m cultured. That I’m interesting. That I have value as a person… I have a friend Melissa from school who tried a ‘30 Days Of Authentic Posting’ challenge on her normal account. She lost 50 followers within the first 3 days.”
Finsta, known for its “anything goes” mantra, has begun to develop its own rules and expectations. Schmeling claimed that the Finsta is “absolutely not” about the number of likes on a given photo, unlike the real Instagram. Yet ironically after he posted something to his Finsta at the beginning of the interview, he was observed vigorously refreshing his notifications several times throughout. At one such point, while looking at his Finsta, he whispered, “Bridgette you whore. How dare you post a photo after mine without liking the one I posted.”
The questions naturally arise from all this: does Instagram culture put too much pressure on young people? Is conformity the only means of validation? Are Finstagram accounts direct products of fear and insecurity? Are Finstagram accounts soon becoming just as contrived as regular accounts?
“I just want to be loved. I want to be accepted,” Schmeling conceded towards the close of the interview. These sentiments appear to be pervasive for most youth on social media. Perhaps it’s time for parents to have the tough conversations with their children about social media. Perhaps it’s time to let them know that their worth should not come from some algorithm-based application. Perhaps it’s time to help them develop a diverse set of hobbies like bike riding, reading classic literature, and creative self-expression. Schmeling laughed at these suggestions, “Yeah right. The only time I’m not on my phone is when I’m looking for new shit to post and new experiences to exploit. That will never change.”
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