- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly asked Instagram's founders to build a feature similar to Snapchat's "Stories" feature after they initially refused to build any copycat features unless directly ordered.
- According to Bloomberg's source, Zuckerberg was concerned that Instagram would lose out on a new generation of consumers if it didn't evolve as a product.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly pushed Instagram founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger to copy one of Snapchat's core features, Stories.
According to a report earlier this week by Bloomberg's Sarah Frier, the Facebook founder expressed worry that if Instagram didn't evolve, it risked losing a huge group of users.
One source told Bloomberg that after Instagram's founders initially refused to proactively design any features that copied Snapchat, Zuckerberg personally requested that Krieger and Systrom build a feature similar to Snapchat's "Stories," which had gained popularity and allowed Snapchat users to record videos in a connected string that could be viewed an unlimited number of times before expiring 24 hours later. A spokesperson for Instagram denied that Zuckerberg pressured Instagram's founders to create a Stories feature, but Systrom contends that there was "tension" over Instagram's growth trajectory following Facebook's acquisition, which he said he appreciated.
In August 2016, Zuckerberg announced the rollout of Instagram Stories on the app, a feature strikingly similar to that of Snapchat's, which the media and even designers at Snapchat noticed and poked fun at.
For their next act, @Instagram will be giving a 100% original speech, first written and performed by @MichelleObama in 2008
— Jack Brody (@jackdbrody) August 2, 2016
But even though Facebook has developed a reputation for copying Snapchat, Facebook's own version of the feature has been wildly successful — Instagram Stories surpassed 200 million monthly users in April 2017.
Read the full story, which includes an interview with Krieger and Systrom, over at Bloomberg.