Snapshot of a New Social Media App

By Eve Hemsley

Most popular social media sites focus on either words or pictures. There are obviously crossovers, such as posting pictures to Facebook and posting Twitpic links via Twitter, but the creators of the newly popular app Instagram took the combination one step further. Instagram is essentially a mobile-based blend of photo-sharing sites such as Flickr and the ever-popular Twitter.

Founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, their company of 4 employees aimed to create a product reminiscent of the days of Polaroids, which marketed themselves as ‘instant.’ The group wanted to make sharing your life as instant and magical as those first Polaroid pictures – thus creating Instagram.

Currently restricted to iPhone owners, Instagram users can take pictures with their iPhones and automatically add effects and share it through the app or across other platforms. Users can then enjoy familiar features, such as following others and being followed, liking and commenting on others’ photos, and browsing popular photo tags/users. There are also select website that will allow you to view your Instagram pictures on the web.

In May of 2011 Instagram boasted over 4.25 million users with the goal of continuing to grow. Added search features such as username autocomplete and a news tab which alerts users to new Twitter friends that have joined the app are predicted to boost user numbers and the connections between them.

The formula seems simple, integrate popular traits from already popular social media tools - such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, FourSquare and Tumblr - but Instagram has seemed to do it a way people are getting excited about. Used for fun or professional purposes this visually based social media platform seems to be the up and coming app.

Eve Hemsley is an Associate Account Executive at Maroon PR. Contact her at Eve@MaroonPR.com.

Photos and Video Released from Roethlisberger Incident

By Andrea Kunicky

Yesterday, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) released photos and videotapes of witness interviews compiled during its investigation of a college student's claim that she was sexually assaulted by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting the college student during a late night of partying in the small Georgia town of Milledgeville on March 5. Prosecutors said there wasn't enough evidence to warrant criminal charges, but the quarterback did receive a six-game suspension from the NFL for his behavior.

In my opinion in this situation, the police have no right to be releasing these pictures and video for the public to view. To my knowledge, this has never happened in the past with anyone else. Why choose to release these now?

I am in no way condoning Roethlisberger’s behavior, but he has not been formally charged at all in this case. Until this occurs, no evidence from the case should be released. We have seen all types of athletes accused of rape, and not one of them have been prosecuted, which means there wasn’t strong enough evidence to deem these people guilty.

Roethlisberger spoke to reporters briefly last week after a Steelers’ voluntary practice. He said he's ready to make major changes to his lifestyle. He’s ready to put this incident behind him, and releasing these photos and videos just make this all the more difficult.

Andrea Kunicky is an Associate Account Executive. Contact her at andrea@maroonpr.com.