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Student Research Guide WQ24/ Instagram's Algorithm

Student Research Guide for Library 201/ Jevoni Potter

Top 10 Resources

 

  • SCHOLARLY ARTICLE: Abrams, Zara. “How Can We Minimize Instagram’s Harmful Effects?” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, www.apa.org/monitor/2022/03/feature-minimize-instagram-effects. Accessed 29 Feb. 2024.
    • This source covers the known harmful effects of social media platforms like Instagram, and how one can avoid or otherwise minimize those harmful effects. Instagram is also explained in how it's designed to captivate us and how that is damaging.

 

  • INTERNET WEBSITE: Blystone, Dan. “Instagram: What It Is, Its History, and How the Popular App Works.” Investopedia, Investopedia, www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/102615/story-instagram-rise-1-photo0sharing-app.asp#:~:text=The%20Instagram%20app%20was%20launched,25%2C000%20users%20in%20one%20day. Accessed 29 Feb. 2024.
    • This source was helpful because it explains what Instagram is, its history, and how people use it today. I plan on using this to explain the founding details of Instagram, especially its creator Kevin Systrom. It gives quite a few solid details on how Systrom got what he needed to create Instagram.

 

  • BOOK: Carr, Nicholas G. The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. W. W. Norton, 2020.
    • ​​​​​​​This source gives a general overview of how the internet has come to be and how it impacts us. I use this source to cover general impacts and the rise of social media. I will also use this source for the sources it cites, if there's one that I notice that will peak my interest.

 

  • PROQUEST DATABASE: Crandall, Emily K., et al. “Magicians of the twenty-First Century: Enchantment, domination, and the politics of work in Silicon Valley.” Theory & Event, vol. 24, no. 3, 2021, pp. 841–873, https://doi.org/10.1353/tae.2021.0045.
    • ​​​​​​​This source covers Silicon Valley and the ideals of the people who live and work there. I use this source to explain the work ethics of Silicon Valley workers and how that creates the leaders of the social media apps we use today.

 

  • BOOK: Fisher, Max. The Chaos Machine: The inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World. Back Bay Books/Little, Brown and Company, 2023.
    • ​​​​​​​Much like The Shallows, This book covers the history of social media and how it has built up to the impacts it has today. I use this source to cover a heavy amount of Facebook's origins, which are relevant to my topic Instagram. I also use this book to find other sources using the Notes chapter in the end of the book. 

 

  • INTERNET WEBSITE: Hoefflinger, Mike. “Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s Controversial Decision to Turn down Yahoo’s $1 Billion Early Offer to Buy Facebook.” Business Insider, Business Insider, www.businessinsider.com/why-mark-zuckerberg-turned-down-yahoos-1-billion-offer-to-buy-facebook-in-2006-2017-4#:~:text=We’re%20obviously%20not%20going,definite%20idea%20about%20the%20future. Accessed 29 Feb. 2024.
    • ​​​​​​​This source explains Mark Zuckerberg's thought process when it came to refusing to sell his business to Yahoo. It offers insight into how Zuckerberg thinks and his reasoning behind turning down an offer from Yahoo that at the time seemed crazy to refuse

 

  • INTERNET WEBSITE: Price, Rob. “Instagram’s Stories Feature Is Now Twice as Big as Snapchat, with 400 Million Daily Users.” Business Insider, Business Insider, www.businessinsider.com/instagram-stories-400-million-daily-active-users-snapchat-2018-6. Accessed 29 Feb. 2024.
    • ​​​​​​​This source explains how Facebook is declining in favor of other social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, especially with the younger generations of users, such as teens. The clear distinction in Instagram's rising popularity shows how much traction Instagram has gained in recent years.

 

  • SCHOLARLY ARTICLE: Shukaev, Artem. Facebook Inc.. Strategic Analysis and Recommendation, 2019, digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1154&context=honorstheses.
    • ​​​​​​​This source talks about Facebook's marketing strategies and how those strategies influence both Facebook itself as well as the other social media apps that Facebook controls. Facebook's philosophies tend to leak in other platforms such as Instagram.

 

  • INTERNET WEBSITE: Standard, Business. “Mark Zuckerberg Bought Instagram as It Was a ‘threat’ to Facebook: International Companies News.” Business Standard, 30 July 2020                                                                                                                                                        www.business-standard.com/article/international/mark-zuckerberg-bought-instagram-as-it-was-a-threat-to-facebook-120073000324_1.html.
    • ​​​​​​​This source further enhances the explanation for why Mark Zuckerberg decided to buy Instagram. His views for what Instagram could become as well as his fears (and paranoia) leading to his integration and influence over Instagram.

 

  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​INTERNET WEBSITE: Tait, Amelia. “How Instagram Changed Our World.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 3 May 2020, www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/may/03/how-instagram-changed-our-world.
    • ​​​​​​​This source covers the general history of Instagram as well as its impact. It discusses how Facebook and Instagram are connected but also compares Instagram and Facebook, specifically comparing differences between the two.

Top 5-10 Recommended Keywords/Search Terms on the Topic

 

  1. "GamerGate"
  2. "Machine Learning"
  3. "Silicon Valley" AND "Ethics"
  4. "Instagram" AND "Algorithm"
  5. "Instagram" AND "Public Opinion"
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