The human race shows no signs of photo fatigue. Unequivocal proof comes from Instagram, which just announced it reached the 500 million membership milestone.
The photo-sharing app more than doubled its monthly user base over the past two years and Instagrammers now share some 95 million photos and videos each day.
Of the community of 500 million, more than 300 million use Instagram every day. Eighty percent of its members come from outside the United States.
“As you’ve captured and shared the moments happening around you, you’ve formed incredibly varied and diverse communities,” Instagram said on its blog Tuesday. “Whether you’re an illustrator, a sneaker head or an astronaut on the International Space Station, every photo and video you share helps bring people closer to friends and interest, broadens perspectives and inspires a sense of wonder. You’ve made Instagram a place where the everyday and the epic are always within reach.”
Instagram launched in 2010 and grew to 100 million users in two years. By 2014, the community grew to 300 million users and a year later, it surpassed Twitter in membership.
Instagram has made a deep imprint on culture worldwide. Beyond sharing your documented life with friends, its use is considered critical for companies, restaurants, celebrities, and artists for branding purposes. Even the names of some of the app’s aesthetic filters, such as Lux, Juno, Ludwig and Amaro began to appear on the annual Baby Names Survey.
Graphic: Instagram
