Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, co-founders of Instagram which is owned by Facebook announced that they are are leaving the social media firm.
Following a report from The New York Times that the duo had quit, after growing tensions with Facebook’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg over the direction of the product, Kevin Systrom gave a statement to the public.
In 2010 Krieger and Systrom together founded Instagram. In 2012 the giant social media firm Facebook acquired Instagram for $1 billion.
After months of turmoil and scandals for Facebook, from Cambridge Analytica’s misappropriation of tens of millions of Facebook users’ data to sustained fallout from the spread of Russian propaganda during the 2016 election, the news finally broke out.
Instagram has contributed largely to Facebook’s portfolio, but the co-founder team’s sudden quit raises questions about the direction and future of the renown social media app.
They said: “Mike and I are grateful for the last eight years at Instagram and six years with the Facebook team. We’ve grown from 13 people to over 1,000 with offices around the world, all while building products used and loved by a community of over one billion. We’re now ready for our next chapter.
“We’re planning on taking some time off to explore our curiosity and creativity again. Building new things requires that we step back, understand what inspires us and match that with what the world needs; that’s what we plan to do.”
“We remain excited for the future of Instagram and Facebook in the coming years as we transition from leaders to two users in a billion. We look forward to watching what these innovative and extraordinary companies do next.”
Adam Mosseri, formerly the VP of News Feed at Facebook, was made Instagram’s new head of product. Facebook made Chris Cox, formerly the head of the core Facebook app, the company’s chief product officer, responsible for Instagram and Facebook’s other apps.
The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources, also reported that Systrom and Krieger had “clashed” with Facebook’s leadership — specifically over “Instagram’s autonomy” — and that when Mosseri was reassigned Facebook execs were expecting the pair to leave.
“Kevin and Mike are extraordinary product leaders and Instagram reflect their combined creative talents. I’ve learned a lot working with them for the past six years and have really enjoyed it. I wish them all the best and I’m looking forward to seeing what they build next,” said Zuckerberg in a statement
It has been tough for Facebook in 2018. Earlier this year, Jan Koum, co-founder of WhatsApp, the encrypted messaging app Facebook bought $19 billion, left Facebook in April 2018, allegedly due to tensions over efforts to weaken the app’s security.