The photo-sharing web platform Instagram has removed its Twitter cards utility from the microblogging service. This means that Instagram content no longer displays correctly on Twitter as the images now appear too large for the space provided.

“Users are experiencing issues with viewing Instagram photos on Twitter. Issues include cropped images. This is due to Instagram disabling its Twitter cards integration,” read a Twitter status update.

Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom ascribed the removal of the plugin as a means of generating greater traffic for the service's home site.

“We wanted to make sure we direct users to where the content lives originally, so they get the full Instagram experience,” Systrom told attendees of the LeWeb conference.

He also went on to refute speculation that its acquisition by Twitter rival Facebook played a part in the company’s decision to withdraw imaging support.

“Mark Zuckerberg originally said that Instagram would continue sharing to Twitter, that still is true today,” said Systrom.

“Obviously, things change as a company evolves and I don’t think we ever said nothing would change.”