Comic Sans on Instagram is the update nobody asked for
Will 2020 never stop?
Instagram has rolled out a bunch of new fonts for its Stories feature – and one of them is already becoming quite the story in itself. Among all of the other terrible events of 2020, Instagram users have one more thing to be unhappy about: one of the fonts bears an uncanny resemblance to Comic Sans.
While it's been possible to change the font in your Instagram bio for a while, options have been limited as far as Stories are concerned. The new styles include neon, serif and outline options – but it's one particular fun-looking font that's proving a source of typographical torment for users (check out the best fun fonts for more examples that definitely aren't Comic Sans).
U𝓟d𝓪𝓉𝔢: ℕεฬ ғ𝐎n𝐭𝔰 in ⓢŤό𝓡เєsţ𝓇ㄚ 𝓣ℍ𝔢м n𝕆w https://t.co/XqrnTRiJRVAugust 3, 2020
Comic Sans is top of our list of fonts we love to hate, so it's no surprise that people are speaking out about its unexpected arrival on Instagram. Many users have jumped ship to Twitter (below) to make their feelings known about the uninvited guest.
And because 2020 is the worst, Instagram now has Comic Sans as a font option in stories.Reminder: pic.twitter.com/v4RhSQV6v1August 5, 2020
pic.twitter.com/uAAO3aAuArAugust 4, 2020
INSTAGRAM ADDED COMIC SANS??? pic.twitter.com/Sh2uhEPIJCAugust 4, 2020
When I find out that Comic Sans is now an available font on Instagram stories. pic.twitter.com/roY71rdYraAugust 4, 2020
Instagram proving they can be just as toxic as Facebook by adding Comic Sans to their font options.August 4, 2020
While many users are clearly very upset, others have taken the opportunity to defend the poor, potentially misunderstood font. Indeed, Comic Sans has its fair share of supporters, owing to its accessibility benefits, particularly for those with dyslexia or ADHD.
Polite reminder that comic sans is an accessible font and Instagram introducing it is actually a v good thing 🤗🤗🤗August 4, 2020
To use the new fonts, all you have to do is Instagram Stories and head to 'Create' mode. There are now nine font options available along the bottom of the screen – including, yes, Comic Sans.
Comic Sans might not be the most professional-looking font around, but hey – Instagram Stories isn't the most professional platform. Maybe its new social media introduction will lead to a new era of love and respect for Comic Sans? Maybe. In the meantime, if you're looking for more typographical inspiration, take a look at our best free fonts.
Read more:
Get top Black Friday deals sent straight to your inbox: Sign up now!
We curate the best offers on creative kit and give our expert recommendations to save you time this Black Friday. Upgrade your setup for less with Creative Bloq.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.