CIA joins Instagram with a bafflingly cryptic first post

The first post was captioned: ‘I spy...’

The inconspicuous picture could have hidden depths (CIA / Instagram)

If you’re bored of the homogeneity of your Instagram feed, here’s some good news: in among the filtered hot dog legs on sunny beaches and rainbow smoothie bowls, you can now intersperse content from the actual CIA.

That’s right, the US Intelligence Agency has recently joined the photo-sharing app, most often associated with the aspirational imagery of influencer lifestyles, and posted its first picture, captioned “I spy with my little eye…”

The post features what looks like a generic messy desk – but all is not as it seems. A number of “hidden messages” have been spotted, including an employee badge with a photo of CIA director Gina Haspel from 1985, and the number 09111947 which references the date the agency opened.

The clock on the desk is set to 08:46, the time the first plane hit the World Trade Centre on 9/11, while a small star-shaped figurine references those given to the families of fallen officers.

Some followers seemed amused but also baffled by the CIA's choice of first post.

One Twitter user posted:

"In an amazing turn of events the CIA has joined instagram and is either attempting to be funny or attempting to be trendy, either way...influencing?"

Some people just wanted to express their appreciation for the effort. Eva Taylor said: "The @CIA's first @instagram post is great."

Another user said: "@CIA’s first Instagram. Tchotchkes from the 1980s: ID badge, burn bags, disguise kit, classification stamp, etc. Where’s the STU-III?," referring to the secure landlines used by the NSA

It's not the first time the government agency has been praised for its social media game. In 2014 it joined Twitter with a post saying: "We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet."

Follow the CIA on Instagram here.