Photo sharing service Instagram on Wednesday announced it has successfully crossed 300 million active user milestone. This is for the very first time that the photo- and video-sharing app has surpassed Twitter’s official user count of 284 million.
Instagram, which reported 200 million active users at the end of March, has grown almost more than 50 per cent so far this year, adding over 100 million monthly active users over the past nine months.
Announcing the news, Instagram co-founder and CEO Kevin Systrom in a blog post wrote “Over the past four years, what began as two friends with a dream has grown into a global community that shares more than 70 million photos and videos each day.”
“We’re thrilled to watch this community thrive and witness the amazing connections people make over shared passions and journeys.”
Systrom also announced the addition of verified badges for celebrities, athletes, and brands, making it easier for users to connect with authentic accounts, much like how it happens on Facebook and Twitter.
Public figures will receive a badge for their authenticity on Instagram once their accounts get verified. The verified badge feature will be rolled out in the coming days.
He said the Instagram team is committed to doing everything possible to keep it free from the fake and spammy accounts that plague much of the Web.
“Most of you won’t see any impact,” Systrom wrote.
“If you’re one of those who will see a correction, you will receive a notification in the app directing you to additional information.”
