Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has announced that Meta will no longer promote political content on Instagram or Threads.
While users can still see political posts from the accounts they follow, platforms will no longer “proactively amplify” such content.
This change is expected to be implemented gradually “over the next few weeks” and will impact public accounts in areas where Meta’s algorithms recommend content or posts.
This includes Instagram’s Reels and Explore sections, as well as Threads’ suggested users feature.
Mosseri did not provide specific criteria for what Meta will define as “political.” However, a Meta spokesperson clarified that this category would include topics about elections and social issues.
Here is what the spokesperson stated:
Our definition of political content is content likely to be about topics related to government or elections; for example, posts about laws, elections, or social topics.
These global issues are complex and dynamic, which means this definition will evolve as we continue to engage with the people and communities who use our platforms and external experts to refine our approach.
Meta intends to limit recommendations on sensitive topics by default, but users interested in such content will be able to adjust their preferences through the Instagram and Threads settings.
This update is not intended to interfere with the visibility of posts from accounts that users have specifically chosen to follow.
Instagram’s option to opt in to political content
This move is part of Meta’s larger strategy to limit discussions on Threads about subjects that it considers potentially contentious.
Threads’ search results have already been filtered for “potentially sensitive” topics, such as vaccines and COVID-19.
Mosseri has stated that Meta intends to avoid promoting discussions about “politics and hard news” within the app, indicating a concerted effort to shape the platform’s content landscape.
To read our blog on “Threads account can be removed without deleting Instagram,” click here
