Instagram is a photo and video sharing social network owned by Meta Platforms Inc., headquartered in Menlo Park, California. Meta has received multiple large GDPR fines from the Irish Data Protection Commission for data handling violations.
Brand Identity Data
Verified on August 2, 2026
Corporate Lineage
Founded
Instagram was founded by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger in San Francisco.
Acquisition
Meta (then Facebook) acquired Instagram for approximately $1 billion.
Founders Departure
Instagram founders resigned from the company following tensions with Meta leadership.
GDPR Fine
The Irish DPC fined Meta 405 million euros for Instagram's handling of children's data.
DSA Designation
The European Commission designated Instagram as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act.
European Alternatives to Instagram
Mastodon
Mastodon is a German decentralized open-source social network and microblogging platform, operated by Mastodon gGmbH in Berlin. Built on the ActivityPub protocol, it has no algorithmic feeds, no advertising, and no corporate ownership.
Compare Instagram vs. Mastodon