Can Instagram help you make friends?

Yes, according to a survey of 700 college students.

The survey found the students liked how the app was easy to use.

And they liked features, like filters, that allowed them to tweak the images they post. 

“Both media richness and user-friendliness come together in Instagram, which is probably what makes it so appealing to the younger generation,” said Associate Professor Porismita Borah who wrote the paper with Ph.D student Lee Danielle Ka Lai.

Shy, introverted people seemed to benefit the most.

“Studies have shown that in general people who are not extroverted, who might be somewhat shy, find social media platforms an easier way to interact with other people,”  Borah said.

The researchers conclude that people who have weak social connections off-line may be able make new friendships and strengthen existing ones through easy, fun and flexible social media apps.

Self-presentation on Instagram and friendship development among young adults: A moderated mediation model of media richness, perceived functionality, and openness. Computers in Human Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.09.017