It will be meta According to Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, recommend political content to users on Instagram or Threads. He said users will still see political content from accounts they follow, but the apps will no longer “proactively boost” such posts.
The changeRolling out “over the next few weeks,” Meta’s recommendation algorithms will be applied to public accounts where Instagram suggests content or posts, such as Reels and Explore, and users suggested in Threads. Mosseri did not elaborate on how Meta works. It will define what counts as “political”, but a Meta spokesman said it would include election-related topics and social issues.
“Our definition of political content is content related to topics related to government or elections; for example, articles about laws, elections or social issues,” the spokesperson said. “These global challenges are complex and dynamic, meaning this definition will evolve as we continue to engage with people and communities using our platforms and outside experts to refine our approach.”
Although Meta limits its suggestions for these topics by default, those who want to see such content will be able to join through the Instagram and Threads settings. The update will not affect how people see posts from accounts they choose to follow, the company said. “Our goal is to protect people’s ability to choose how to interact with political content while respecting each person’s appetite,” Mosseri said.
The change is the latest way Meta has tried to discourage Threads users from discussing topics it deems potentially problematic. Company blocks From search results in Threads, “potentially sensitive” topics including vaccine and covid-related terms. There is Mosseri Meta doesn’t want to “encourage” users to write about “politics and hard news” on the app.
But the change could also spark a new backlash among users and creators, some of whom already believe Meta unfairly suppresses certain types of content. Meta said that people with “professional” accounts on Instagram can use it feature to check if their posts are currently eligible for referrals.
