At the exact same time that Instagram launched, another platform that is also almost exactly what this post describes also launched: Path - and it's long dead, too. The author's views represent such a tiny minority that is not worth the required effort to build and maintain a platform for. Let's not forget network effects. You might love this utopian platform, if it were to exist, but good luck convincing everyone you care about to move over with you. You may as well then just use a journaling app if you're talking to yourself.

The largest social platforms right now are hardly showing any signs of slowdowns. The market signal is clear: this is what most people want and are fine with.

Perhaps a journaling-focused platform where social is a second-class aspect might succeed. You're documenting things for yourself anyway and if friends happen to see them and engage with them, that's an added bonus. Network effects would not matter here. In fact, this is how I used Path back in the day. I intentionally kept no friends on it and started using it like a journal, recording my thoughts, adding photos and checkins.

And MySpace and GeoCities.