The final thesis compares traditional diaries and posts on the social network platform Instagram from different perspectives. The theoretical part mainly analyses the diary practices since the beginning of diarising, the development and technology behind both media, and the main similarities and differences. The content and purpose of diary entries and posts are presented in the following. The same themes are then addressed through an empirical survey method, while a questionnaire is designed to explore the current practices of diarising and posting on Instagram. The aim with this thesis is to show that, despite the differences in technology and the public or private nature of one or the other medium, both can be compared with each other to a certain extent, or it could be argued that Instagram is in a way a modern diary.
We have found that, despite their differences at first sight, there are similarities between the traditional diaries and Instagram. We have demonstrated the existence of different types of diary entries, from writing down important events to writing down emotions, problems and reflections. Today's social network has more in common with the diaries of the 17th century, where people described their life events, travel highlights, etc., and shared them with those close to them. A comparable trend can be seen today with posts and stories on Instagram. Traditional diaries are not forgotten, but they are a space for emotional confession.
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