Instagram vs. Snapchat: CCSU Students Settle The Feud

The tech-savvy teens and young adults of the 21st century, practically thrive solely on the thirst for access to social media platforms and the content they provide. With networking such as Facebook and Twitter, it is difficult to fall behind on the utterly crucial updates in the social world; varying from Kim and Kanye’s power-duo relationship, to the ever so insightful words of Donald Trump.

But how could we ever stay away from the two most current grossing social media apps to date; Instagram and Snapchat.

Both social apps provide a similar purpose in their creations: to publicly share moments through images and videos. But what makes these two apps so drastically compelling from their competing platforms? Could it be their convenience and easy accessibility? Or simply due to the fact that almost everyone who owns a smartphone are completely glued to the applications.

Whether you use both, none, or one or the other, you are somewhat aware of the features and capabilities that each app offers.

Instagram is a global community that allows individuals to share photos and videos to the public, with the opportunity to keep updated on a feed consisting of friends, celebrities, and occasionally well-presented dishes of food. Whereas Snapchat provides a quicker network, allowing the user to send images and videos that self destruct after 10 seconds, with the addition in fun doodles and captions.

However, a recent feud in the past month of August has risen between the two competing social medias over one of Snapchat’s most well-known trademarks, “Snapchat stories.” Instagram happened to snatch one of Snapchat’s most prominent features by adding their own “Instagram stories,” allowing users to post a picture and or video to followers for only 24 hours. While their individual characteristics do exist, both apps have crossover features.

So the question remains, do the students of CCSU prefer Instagram or Snapchat? In order to determinate this dying question, it’s only fitting to personally ask the students of CCSU to draw our conclusion to this ongoing feud.

While on the streets of campus, I came across several different opinions that weigh the pros and cons to each social platform according to the student’s preference.

“Snapchat is just very high maintenance,” says newest freshman Maddie O’Neill. “There’s too many options and buttons that it’s an annoyance to me.” With all of Snapchat’s different components, such as their discovery tab, endless filters, and their newest sticker collection to name a few, the app can get crowded. Too many options can be a con, simply distracting and sometimes irrelevant.

“With Instagram, I can easily scroll through my feed on one page and keep up with my friends and favorite celebrities.” Instagram’s simplicity in layout makes it easy to navigate, and with just one motion, you can scroll down a feed of endless pictures all aligned in one place. Perhaps this one ups Snapchat’s way of laying out their features.

However, it’s those features itself that make Snapchat so appealing.

“I love how instant Snapchat is, you don’t have to worry about extensive filters and taking the perfect picture,” freshman Venus Zahid states. “Personally in college, I like having the “add nearby” feature because it allows me to add more people in the area.” Features such as this allow users to reach out to other individuals in a fun and unique way, making it more personal.

“It’s fun, simple, and easy communication. If you meet new people, it’s easier to ask them for their Snapchat username when you’re just starting to get to know them,” says newest commuter Ethan Nickel. Snapchat is known for its quick and simple way of communication through old and new friends. With elements such as Snapchat stories, we can really get a glimpse of daily life through the eyes of our friends.

So what is the overall preferred social application across campus? After tallying a widespread of opinions and arguments over the two, 71% of students said Snapchat was their preference, as opposed to 29% of students that said Instagram was their favored social platform. ​ So there you have it. It appears that the students of CCSU prefer Snapchat as their choice application. Sorry Instagram, whether it’s because of the countless geotags or infamous dog filter, Snapchat has taken the campus win.