After its official release in 2011, Snapchat’s popularity soared, making it one of the most popular social media platforms today. While the app has approximately 188 million daily users, it seems that its days as the reigning social media app could be coming to an end. Why? Ask one of Snapchat’s most influential users: Kylie Jenner.

Earlier this year, Jenner tweeted about her boredom of Snapchat, saying: “sooo does anyone else not open Snapchat anymore? Or is it just me….ugh this is so sad.” Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, faced an eight percent decline in their stock following this tweet.

While the discontent with Snapchat is obvious among social media influencers, it is also apparent within the WHS student body. Junior Paula Palles said that Snapchat doesn’t interest her the way it used to. “I’ve come to realize Snapchat is kinda boring,” she said. “It’s just worn out.”

Palles is just one of many who feels this way about the app. This past August, Snapchat disclosed that they have lost around three million daily users in its last quarter. Additionally, techcrunch.com found that Snapchat’s growth rate has decreased from 5 percent in its fourth quarter to the 2 percent rate it has now.

So what exactly has caused this dramatic decline in usage? It seems that many of Snapchat’s problems stem from its latest redesign to the app’s interface. One of the most recent updates released earlier this year received extreme backlash from users who felt that the new layout was overcomplicated. In fact, there was a petition circulating online titled, “Remove the new Snapchat Update,” which acquired over 1.2 million signatures from frustrated users.

For Palles, this is the main reason why Snapchat is lacking in terms of popularity. “All of the updates have ruined the app,” she stated. Snapchat’s recent changes have even caused Palles and many others to turn to Instagram, leaving the app that holds all of their “streaks” behind.

In August 2016, Instagram stories were launched, and in just nine months, they surpassed Snapchat in daily active users by nearly 100 million, according to recode.net. Senior Matt Siroty says that he has always been a bigger fan of Instagram. “I personally find the feed more entertaining,” he said.

Despite the growing love for Instagram, some individuals remain loyal to Snapchat, regardless of its controversial changes over the past year. Freshman Sarah Kennedy says that she is still a very active Snapchat user, spending around three hours per day on the app. “I feel like there is more stuff to do on Instagram but on Snapchat, it’s easier to talk to people,” she said.

Junior Roberto Uehara is a fan of both Instagram and Snapchat, even with Snapchat’s redesign. “I don’t mind the updates because in my opinion, they don’t [alter] the experience,” he said. “I’m indifferent to them.” Uehara even feels that Snapchat remains the more popular app over Instagram, as Snapchat allows people to “talk directly through it instead of liking pictures.”

Social media is an integral contributor to the world of communication today and not too long ago, many would agree Snapchat was its backbone. To Siroty, the debate over Snapchat’s popularity has been blown out of proportion. “People are so obsessed with Snapchat that they made [the update] a bigger deal than it really was.” Whether Snapchat is experiencing a rise and fall that any other app would endure, only time will tell if they can regain the glory they once had in 2011.