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Internet Explained: Instagram slime communities

by Sam Smith The internet can create some crazy communities. If you’ve ever checked your Instagram explore page, you’ve probably stumbled upon a slime shop. These slime shops are Instagram accounts that also link to websites where they sell slime. The average slime Instagram has about 250,000 followers and their videos receive millions of views. The first slime was made by Mattel and began selling in 1976. It came in a bright green trash can and most people thought it looked like snot. It was marketed as a gross toy, sometimes with accompanying plastic bugs, eyeballs and even toilets to come with the goo. Fast forward about 40 years later and slime is an internet phenomenon. The goop has changed from being a gross toy to a relaxing and cute thing to play with or simply watch other people play with. Slime has created an entirely different world on Instagram, which can be pretty confusing to an outsider. Slime Instagrams are less trendy than they were a few years ago, yet their communities remain strong. There are thousands of accounts that post videos of people making and playing with slime. Most of these accounts are linked to websites where the creators can sell the slime they make. They even participate in conventions, where slime fans and slime makers can meet and buy slime. YouTube also has its own slime community, but the one on Instagram has a larger fan base size and the accounts continue to grow.

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