When MS Dhoni slipped in the news of his retirement on his Instagram profile, it was like a cheeky single that batsmen take, whereas a full-blown press conference would have been a lofted sixer. But that's Dhoni. The man's had a famously reticent attitude to the media for years now, shielding himself from exclusive interviews the way a well-set batsman shields a tail-ender from the bowling attack. It thus follows why he shunned traditional news outlets to make the announcement, choosing the social media platform instead. And it also goes to show how Instagram isn't just a place anymore where you scroll through people's travel pictures or peek voyeuristically into the personal lives of celebrities. It's become a legitimate source of information as well.

Public matters

But this dissemination of news needn't come only from people in the public eye. The aam aadmi, too, can put up posts that relay changes in their personal and professional lives. It could be a new job role, or it might be a wedding or the birth of a child. Either way, the platform can be a handy tool to let the world know about the more momentous occasions in your life. Take Devika Patel, a 28-year-old Mumbaikar who married Neil Chowdhury in December last year. She announced her engagement on Instagram and then went on to document the entire process of being betrothed to her husband using the hashtag, BecomingABride. Patel tells us, "In my social universe, it's almost customary now for people to break the news of their engagement on Instagram. There are many who even organise photo shoots of their proposals to make it Insta-official. And once you post the image, it becomes a place for others to re-share the photo and congratulate you. That makes it an easy way to make the announcement to everyone in general."