Instagram is a free app from Meta for sharing photos and videos, including short Reels and Stories that disappear after 24 hours, messaging people, and discovering new accounts through search and Explore. Instagram's Terms of Use say you don't pay to use it because you agree to see ads that businesses and organisations pay Instagram to show you.
Instagram's About page says it helps over 1 billion people create and share. Its own mission line in the Terms is to bring you closer to the people and things you love.
The most useful plain-English answer to what Instagram is sits in its Terms of Use, which say a new version takes effect on 20 January 2027. Strip out the legal wording and you get four points. It's free because you see ads. You must be at least 13, or the minimum legal age where you live. You keep ownership of what you post but give Instagram a licence to use it. And Instagram says it doesn't sell your personal data. It also says it has teams and systems working to combat abuse and breaches of its Terms and policies.
How Instagram is paid for
Instead of a subscription fee, the Terms say Instagram uses information about your activity and interests to show you ads it thinks are more relevant. Advertisers tell Instagram their business goal and the kind of audience they want, and Instagram shows the ad to people who might be interested. It sends advertisers reports with general demographic and interest information, but the Terms say it doesn't share information that directly identifies you, such as your name or email address, unless you give it specific permission.
Here's the part people don't expect. By using Instagram, you give it permission to show your username, profile picture and actions such as likes or follows next to ads and accounts you engage with, without paying you. The Terms give the example of showing that you liked a post a brand paid Instagram to promote. Only people who already have permission to see that activity can see it, and Instagram says it respects your ad settings.
You may also see branded content, which the Terms describe as posts from account holders promoting products or services because of a commercial relationship with the business they mention.
Reels, Stories, DMs and Explore at a glance
Instagram's feature pages describe its main tools like this, as of October 2026.
| Feature | What you get | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Reels | Short videos you create and watch | Make multi-clip videos up to 3 minutes, add text, AR filters and audio, upload from your gallery, record next to someone else's reel with Remix, and send reels to friends or share them to your Story |
| Stories | Photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours | Add text, music, stickers, filters and GIFs, use Add Yours, Polls or Question stickers, share with all followers or just Close Friends, and keep favourites on your profile as Highlights |
| DMs | Private messages | Send messages, photos and videos across Instagram, and reply to someone's Story with a DM |
| Search and Explore | Discovery | Search by keyword for photos, reels, accounts and topics, or open Explore from the search icon to see content picked from across Instagram |
Explore isn't random. Instagram says it chooses what you see there based on factors such as the accounts you follow, the photos and videos you like, and who you're connected to. Search works the same way, showing more of a topic based on posts you've engaged with and things you've searched before. If you're not sure which format to use, my comparison of Instagram Stories vs Reels sets them side by side.
Who can join Instagram
The Terms set the basic rules. You must be at least 13 or the minimum legal age in your country, you must not be barred from the service by law, Instagram must not have disabled your account before for breaking the law or its policies, and you must not be a convicted sex offender.
Instagram Help says most countries and states use 13, but some set a higher minimum:
| Where you live | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Most countries and states | 13 |
| South Korea | 14 |
| Quebec, Canada | 14 |
| Spain | 14 |
| Florida, US | 14 |
| Australia | 16 |
In some regions you may be asked to confirm your age before you can keep using the app. An account for someone under the minimum age must say clearly in its bio that a parent or manager runs it. The full rules are in my guide to how old you have to be to have Instagram.
Teen Accounts and parent tools
Instagram says teens aged 13 to 17 automatically get a Teen Account, with built-in limits on who can contact them and the content they see. Teen Accounts are set to private by default, and teens under 16 can only change that with help from a parent or guardian. They're also set to hide potentially offensive comments and message requests using the strictest Hidden Words setting. Instagram's parents page says it has built more than 50 tools, features and resources to help teens have safe, positive experiences.
What the Terms don't let you do
You don't have to reveal your identity on Instagram, but you do have to give accurate, up-to-date information. The Terms also say you can't:
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- Impersonate someone, or create an account for someone else without their express permission.
- Do anything unlawful, misleading or fraudulent, or break the Community Standards or Music Guidelines.
- Create accounts or collect information in automated ways without permission.
- Buy, sell or transfer any part of an account, including a username, or collect other people's login details.
- Post someone else's private or confidential information without permission, or infringe copyright or trademarks.
- Use a domain name or URL in your username without Instagram's written consent.
Instagram can also change a username it thinks infringes someone's rights or impersonates another user. For what's allowed in posts themselves, see my summary of the Instagram Community Guidelines.
Who owns your photos and videos
You do. The Terms say Instagram doesn't claim ownership of the content you post, and you're free to share it anywhere else. What you give Instagram is a licence: a non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable, worldwide permission to host, use, distribute, modify, copy, display and translate your content so it can run the service. If you use Instagram's own images, designs, videos or sounds in your posts, those stay Instagram's.
Instagram, Meta and Facebook
Instagram is one of the Meta Products, provided by Meta Platforms, Inc., but it has its own Terms of Use, and the Terms say the Meta Terms of Service don't apply to it. Instagram does share technology, systems and information about you with the other Meta Companies to run safer, more consistent services across the apps you use. Your data may be stored and moved outside your country as part of that global setup.
My advice before you post
I'd treat Instagram as three apps in one. Stories are for everyday moments that vanish, Reels are for short videos that strangers might find, and Explore is where new people discover you. Before you share anything, remember you keep ownership, but Instagram gets a wide licence to use it. If a teen in your house is joining, check the minimum age where you live first, because it isn't 13 everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is Instagram used for?
People use Instagram to share photos and videos, post Reels and Stories, send messages, and discover new accounts and topics through search and Explore.
Is Instagram free?
Yes. Instagram's Terms of Use say you don't pay to use it. Instead, you agree that Instagram can show you ads that businesses and organisations pay it to promote.
How old do you have to be to use Instagram?
At least 13 in most countries and states. Instagram Help lists 14 in South Korea, Quebec, Spain and Florida, and 16 in Australia.
What is the difference between Reels and Stories?
Reels are short videos of up to 3 minutes that you can add audio, text and effects to. Stories are photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours unless you save them as Highlights on your profile.
Who owns the photos I post on Instagram?
You do. Instagram says it doesn't claim ownership of your content, but you grant it a worldwide licence to host, use, distribute and display it so it can provide the service.
Is Instagram the same as Facebook?
No. Both are Meta Products from Meta Platforms, Inc., but Instagram has its own Terms of Use, and the Meta Terms of Service that cover Facebook don't apply to it.
