Momentum for Dispo Is Surging (Again)

Woman taking a selfie.

The momentum of Dispo, the “anti-Instagram" photo-sharing app, has recently surged owing to early interest by Gen Z and venture capital investors. The Instagram alternative app is the brainchild of Gen Z influence-star David Dobrik, who recognized his friends’ obsession with disposable cameras and decided to digitize the experience as an app. Despite the controversy, momentum for this app is surging.

Momentum for Dispo is Surging

Invite-only “anti-apps” like Dispo and Clubhouse appeal to Gen Z’s desire to disrupt previous generations and do things their own way. These digital natives grew up with their faces in devices but are enamored with the idea of disconnecting (without completely disconnecting) from the pressures of social media.

Dispo surged from an MFactor of 5 to 19 in just 1 month, thanks to the app’s focus on taking unedited, unmodified photos. The Instagram alternative rolled out via an invite-only soft launch, and later public controversy. 

MFactor is a proprietary tool that measures cultural momentum through topic modeling and sentiment analysis.

Behind The Dispo Controversy

Dispo’s rapid expansion and quick rise to the fourth most-downloaded app on Apple’s AppStore made it an appealing target for VC firms.  However, the controversy surrounding its co-founder and his social circle also makes it a cautionary tale: Dispo was nearly canceled.

In early March, David Dobrik came under fire because a member of his inner circle, the Vlog Squad, was accused of sexual assault. The incident thrust Dispo into the spotlight, resulting in many investors pulling out—this prompted Dobrik’s resignation.

Will Dispo Maintain Momentum?

Dispo may yet retain its momentum as investors seek to renovate the brand’s ethos. Despite the recent negative PR, Alexis Ohanian’s fund Seven Seven Six decided to continue supporting the app because their investors still believe in its mission and want to see it realized.

In a clear example of embracing cancellation and using it for social good, they pledged to donate any profits from the app to organizations that support sexual assault survivors. But even if Dispo disappears, “anti-apps" will continue disrupting the tech industry. Who knows maybe the new Instagram alternative is being built right now.