THE DON'TS OF INSTAGRAM

Just like everything else that was once hipster, Instagram too has become a mainstream phenomenon. Allowing users to connect to multiple social networking platforms and enabling easy editing, the squared, filter-plastered images have become a popular form of expression as an alternate to status updates or tweets. As for any medium where socialising is involved, there are some basic etiquettes that everyone is expected to follow. Here are some things you're probably doing wrong (being hipster isn't an excuse).

1.  #hashtags #that #are #not #acceptable
Hashtags are brilliant things that open up the universe to you but, in all honesty, would anyone ever search for #are or #not? Hashtags such as #like4like and #follow4follow come off as desperate pleas for attention, which isn't really the best impression to make. Then there are the hashtags #Dat_Appear_Lyk_Dis. In order to avoid being #tacky or #intellectuallydisabled, it's best to ditch the improper uses of the wonderful hashtags.

2. Is that an essay or a caption?
I know it's hard to be concise about all the things you're doing and feeling, but putting a bare minimum word limit on a caption is more of an act of kindness than anything else. Put yourself in your followers' shoes -- would you like to wade through a wall of text to get to the next post on your feed? If the thought of this annoys you, it could be annoying some of your followers too.

3. The daily dosage of selfies
There's nothing wrong with taking a million selfies (apparently), but posting more than one picture where you're creepily making faces at your phone each day is monotonous for all those who are following your Instagram. There are also the collages where many selfies have been strung together or one image has been reflected so there are two of the same images facing away/towards each other. Unless there's a story behind your posts, the unchanging poses get tiresome for the followers. Spruce up the feed with more pictures of your surroundings and less of yourself -- it'll keep things interesting for both you and your followers.

4. Public Display of Affection
I'm sure you and your significant other make the cutest couple ever, or maybe you and your pet make the most amazing duo. Whichever the case, sharing all those cringe-inducing moments or stranding your followers in your hail storm of affection is always a no-no. This also applies to the sappy quotes and the regrams of movie scenes and the nauseatingly sweet selection of hashtags. I know it sounds harsh when it's put that way, but don't we all feel like we walked in on something when these posts pop up?

5. Seasonal usernames
People come and go, as do seasons and relationships and stuff like that, but not names. It's stressful enough having to keep track of people and their respective usernames in one's account, and it's downright annoying having to check and crosscheck followers when the names keep changing. Unless you want people to confuse you for a stranger who they accidentally accepted, it's probably a good idea to hang on to that username, unless you're changing it to your own name.

At the end of the day, Instagram is still the user's personal space and how it's projected is totally up to the individual. However, socialising does require conduct that is palatable to those on the receiving end and that should be kept in mind when you're Instagramming your next snapshot.