Instagram is a photo and short-form video sharing social networking platform owned by Meta, an American multinational technology company which also owns other social networking services like Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads. Instagram supports photo and video uploads which can be edited with filters and AR effects, organised into hashtags and associated with location by geo-tagging. The platform also has many other features, including 24-hour ephemeral content, voice to text, music sharing, scheduled messages and live broadcasting.
Instagram’s monthly active users number around 2 billion in 2025, up from 1.8 billion in the year 2024. Its daily active users are around 1 billion. Maximum number of Instagram users are in India, followed by United States and Brazil. 90% of the users on Instagram are below the age of 35. Instagram is supported on Android, iOS, web and native iPad app.
Speculations over a Ban in India
Following the geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terrorist attack by Pakistan-backed terrorists, a rumour spread rapidly through various social media platforms that Instagram would be banned in India, starting 10th May 2025. Reason for banning Instagram in India, as per the viral claims, was preventing information leaks and cyber attacks by Pakistan.
The origin of the rumour lay in certain posts on social media channels like X and WhatsApp, which claimed an impending ban on Instagram from 10th May 2025. Many posts also asked Instagram users in India to back up their content, in view of the ban.
Meta, the owner of Instagram, debunked the rumours in an official statement. The statement read “We are committed to complying with Indian regulations and policies, and Instagram continues to operate smoothly in the country.” Independent fact checking agencies also found the claims of a ban on Instagram as false and baseless.
Actions against Pakistani Handles
On 5th May 2025, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology pointed to the role of certain social media influencers and accounts in running anti-India narrative after the Pahalgam terror attack on 22nd April 2025. The committee concluded that these entities were inciting violence and acting against the national interests of India through their content.
Acting on the recommendations of the committee, the Government of India directed platforms like Meta to block the handles belonging to Pakistani celebrities, social media influencers and media outlets in India. Consequently, the Instagram accounts of certain Pakistani entities were also blocked in India. This was misinterpreted as a broader crackdown against Instagram.