Dump Accounts are the New Finsta - and They're Here to Stay By Gabriella Cafarelli

From planned aesthetically-pleasing Instagram feeds to casual posting, Gen Z Instagram users have changed their posting preferences and Instagram feeds by creating less curated posts, and adopting more casual posting habits: Dump Accounts.

Throughout the pandemic, Instagram users spent countless hours scrolling aimlessly through their feeds and saw large amounts of influencer content and brand deals. Overwhelmed, bored, and disinterested, Instagram users adjusted what they wanted to see on their feed – including muting stories, removing ghost followers, unfollowing users who frequently post ads, and limiting interactions ‒ and altered what they wanted to show the world.

Casual posting has changed the way users interact with each other on social media. Once a world overflowing with finstas and private stories, Gen Z took this content to their main accounts instead. The late night thoughts, random pictures of inanimate objects, and unflatteringly-angled selfies became acceptable on these accounts. While some have lost followers for this change, that’s expected in order to weed out one’s following, and to only keep “the real ones.”

Following the increase in casual posting, users shifted to TikTok to show off their new feeds and connect with other lovers of the practice. This sparked the idea to create separate accounts, much like a finsta, to connect with this niche group and post with total freedom, no worries of main account followers, brand deals, etc.

The dump account: an account dedicated to posting casual photos that inspire creativity and freedom on social media.

“I made the account because most of my close friends all had their own accounts,” said Blakely Harrison (Photography, ‘23). “I loved this idea of having a sort of virtual diary that only my closest friends could see … it’s much more carefree.”

The content on one’s dump account varies per user. Some users enjoy posting random photos from their camera roll, others like to post selfies that they would never post on their main account, and some don’t show their face at all.

“I post camera roll dumps of random pictures I’ve taken throughout the week, memes, screenshots of clothes I want, TikToks I like, photoshoot outtakes and selfies,” said Harrison.

The point is that it is based upon the user and has pure freedom. There’s no worry of like-count or followers – no stress of posting at a “good time,” and no anxiety over a perfected feed or the worthiness of a post.

“I don’t care about the following on my dump account,” said Chloe-Skye Reinhold (FBM, ‘23). “The account is for me to enjoy.”

Many users have chosen to keep their dump accounts discreet. Being anonymous gives the ultimate freedom in posting on social media.

“My dump account is secretive; I don’t have my name anywhere,” said Annie Duffy (AMC, ‘23). “I didn’t want my name on it because I made it for myself, not for friends or family to find it and follow it.”

Dump account users have gotten very creative with their usernames, especially those who have created an alias or anonymous account.

While many that I interviewed did not want to share their dump account usernames for privacy reasons, a common tool in creating the perfect username was to combine things that one likes. Whether it be bunnies, Redbull, nicknames, etc. Some even just used specific words that they liked to use, or playful adjectives.

Others use wordplay, like Reinhold, who’s Instagram dump account is @theeyeintheskye, “...the eye because it’s what my eye sees and the Skye because Skye is in my name.”

Some users have specialized their dump accounts, tailored to a hobby or talent. “I had all these downloads of the film photos I had taken on my Kodak M35 just scattered all over my camera roll,” said Victoria Panzella (Fabric Styling, ‘23). “I wanted to be able to organize them and also share them with the people in the photos as well. My little digital photo diary was born.”

Panzella’s dump account username (@ citygirlfilm.co) was inspired by her and her friends navigating the city, while documenting life through film.

While Panzella made her dump account just last year, like many other Gen Z users, some have been “dumping” for years. Jules Falu (AMC, ‘23), has made several dump accounts, starting in 2016.

“When I first created my account I was meeting a bunch of people and I didn’t want them to have so much information on me,” said Falu. “I wasn’t trying to be overly secretive but I’ll admit I enjoyed the mystery of people never knowing what I was thinking or doing.”

With countless ways to personalize one’s dump account, the appeal of having a secret social media page, and the endless forms a dump account may take, it’s evident that they are here to stay. Casual posting has become a “norm” on social media, and the dump account usernames are bound to only get more creative. The only question is, what will your dump account username be?

illustration by Jessica Lyle

How to Create a Dump Account Username?

Much like adlibs, by combining fun verbs and adjectives, and nouns related to your personality and character, it’s easy and fun to create a dump account username. Need some guidance? Here’s some questions you can ask yourself when creating a dump account username:

What’s an adjective that best describes your zodiac sign?

Who’s a celebrity that you idolized growing up?

What are your two favorite foods? Do they have anything in common?

What’s a word that starts with the same letter as your first name?

What color best describes your music taste?

If you were undercover, what would your spy name be?