Elon Musk has reignited his criticism of Instagram, declaring in a post on X that the social media platform is “for girls.” The remark, made on October 1, 2026, came as a direct response to Geiger Capital, a venture capital firm that announced it had deleted its Instagram account.
The original post from Geiger Capital read: “Officially deleted Instagram. An inherently female app. Zero benefit.” Musk replied briefly: “Instagram is for girls.” The exchange quickly drew attention on X, with users debating Musk’s characterization of the Meta-owned platform and its user base.
Musk’s Latest Remark Echoes May Comments
This is not the first time Musk has made such a statement. In May, he similarly described Instagram as a platform for girls while responding to an online discussion about social media habits. On May 15, Musk wrote, “Lmao. Instagram is for girls,” before adding a separate remark about men who send him links to their Instagram profiles.
“Sometimes grown men send me their Instagram profiles and I'm like are you transitioning or what?” Musk wrote in May. That earlier comment drew criticism from some social media users, who accused Musk of reinforcing gender stereotypes and making offensive remarks about men who use Instagram. Others responded with jokes or defended his comments.
Reaction and Context
Musk’s latest post, however, did not repeat the reference to gender transition. Instead, it was a direct response to Geiger Capital’s description of Instagram as an “inherently female app.” The billionaire has repeatedly criticized platforms owned by Meta while promoting his own platform, X. His latest Instagram remark also comes amid his long-running rivalry with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the company’s social media platforms.
The comments have once again triggered debate over whether social media platforms should be associated with particular genders, with some users arguing that Instagram is used by people across genders. While Musk has described Instagram as a platform for girls, the October 1 post itself did not provide any explanation or evidence for the claim. His earlier May comments provide the context for why the latest remark has attracted renewed attention, particularly his decision then to question whether men sharing their Instagram profiles with him were “transitioning.”
