At the University of Groningen Library, we make deliberate choices about our digital presence. We moved to Mastodon and PeerTube, platforms that are part of the Fediverse: an ecosystem of decentralised, non-commercial social networks that runs outside the logic of big tech algorithms such as those of Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and Google (YouTube). This choice aligns with our core goals as a library: providing trustworthy information, promoting open science, and fostering digital autonomy.

And yet, we're still on Instagram. We’re there not because it aligns with our values, but because it helps us stay connected to students, and that connection is valuable. Our student collaborators create content that resonates and Instagram is - next to our library building - the place where we feel present in student life.
But students aren’t on Instagram for us. They are there because their community is, so we followed them to the platform. And the longer we stay, the harder it becomes to defend that choice on our own terms. We think it's time to say that out loud.

We teach what Instagram undermines

Information literacy is at the heart of what we do as a library. We help students to develop an active, critical approach to finding information: conduct targeted searches, assess sources for reliability, and process information effectively.
Instagram's algorithm does the opposite: it filters what users see based on engagement, not on reliability. Viral posts, sensationalist or emotional content gain greater visibility, even if they are misleading or inaccurate. When we post on Instagram, we participate in that system. Does that send a mixed message? We think it does. 

Student wellbeing: more than a pleasant study environment

Student wellbeing is higher on our university's agenda than ever. As a library, we contribute through accessible study spaces, a quiet and safe working environment, and support for students navigating study pressure. We also think about how digital platforms fit into this. In March 2026, a US jury ruled that Instagram had been deliberately designed to be addictive, with harmful consequences for users' mental health. This is hard to square with our responsibility for the students we serve.

We've been here before

We quit X in 2023 because we couldn't answer the simple question: Why are we still here? That same question now applies to Instagram, but the answer isn't straightforward. Leaving doesn't automatically mean something better takes its place. When we left X, we had already found our place in the academic community on Mastodon, and it turned out to be the better platform for us.
For Instagram, we're still figuring out what an alternative could look like. Can the Fediverse attract students? Few students seem to be using SURF’s Mastodon server, which is available to all Dutch universities. Pixelfed - Instagram's Fediverse counterpart - exists, but is still too little known to fill the gap. Stepping away from social media altogether raises its own question: Do we risk losing our connection with students and a space where we can talk to them about these very issues and explore alternatives together?

What are we asking?

We will not leave Instagram tomorrow. But we don't want to keep doing something we can't defend either.

What does good (online) student communication look like without Instagram? What would students miss, and what might they gain? Are there institutions that have figured this out? We would like to explore alternatives, together with students, researchers, professionals, and whoever else has thoughts on this.

Will you think along with us? Share your thoughts in the comments or drop us an email at  communicatie-bibliotheek rug.nl.