Washington: Comments made by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk on Instagram usage have triggered a wide debate on social media after his reply to a user’s post went viral. A user identified as “Jeezer Capital” had claimed on X that Instagram was primarily used by women for posting content, calling it a “female app” and stating he had deleted it for that reason.
Responding to the comment, Musk replied playfully that Instagram does exist for girls, a remark that quickly went viral and drew widespread reaction online. The comment sparked a broader debate, with several users pushing back on the characterisation in their own ways.
One user questioned Musk on whether, by the same logic, his own platform X could be regarded as a “men’s app.” Another user argued that Instagram is used across all genders and should not be labelled a platform exclusively for women, while others maintained that the app was meant for everyone, not any single gender.
This is not the first time Musk has commented on Instagram usage patterns. In May this year, responding to a viral thread discussing how people’s social media habits reflect different stages of life, Musk made similar remarks, questioning men who shared their Instagram profiles with him and suggesting it indicated a shift in behaviour. Those comments had also gone viral at the time and drawn criticism from several users who called them inappropriate.
Musk’s latest remarks on Instagram have generated a comparable level of online reaction, reigniting discussion around his past commentary on social media habits and gender-based platform stereotypes.