Instagram's rollout of its new "Rings" awards program has creators scratching their heads, and for good reason. When one of the world's most profitable tech companies hands out jewelry instead of paychecks, you know there's more to the story. To be fair, Instagram's systems do offer real algorithmic benefits beyond bragging rights. The achievement system includes badges for collaboration, trending content usage, and consistent posting, and these milestones can translate to organic r...
