The U.S. is in election season, and Instagram has made changes to how it recommends political content. These changes won’t affect content from accounts you already follow, but they will limit the proactive recommendation of political content, potentially hindering users’ access to diverse political perspectives. This shift comes as Instagram’s algorithm leans towards suggesting posts from accounts users don’t follow, especially Reels.
While some users may appreciate a break from politics, others are concerned as social media plays a crucial role in community organizing and sharing information about current events. Instagram’s definition of political content is broad and includes topics related to laws, elections, and social issues.
If you’re unhappy with these changes, you can adjust your settings to override Instagram’s political content filters.
Changing Instagram’s Political Content Settings
If you want to continue seeing political content on Instagram, follow these steps to opt out of the changes:
- Open the Instagram app and go to your profile using the bottom navigation bar.
- On your profile page, tap on the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner.
- Scroll down on the “Settings and activity” page and find “Content preferences.” Tap on it.
- Click on the “Political content” tab and choose the option to see political content from people you don’t follow to avoid any filters.
Threads doesn’t have its own settings menu for these options, but changing preferences on Instagram should carry over to Threads as they are integrated within the app.
Image Credits: Instagram
Reasons Behind Instagram’s Political Content Changes
Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has faced challenges related to politics. These platforms have been linked to issues such as genocide in Myanmar and the spread of misinformation preceding the Capitol attack. The Cambridge Analytica scandal revealed how political consulting groups exploited user data for election campaigns. As another U.S. election approaches, Meta may encounter further public scrutiny.
However, these algorithmic changes have implications, impacting billions of social media users. Limiting political content will have a wider impact, affecting creators’ reach and audiences. Instagram will provide creators with insights on their account status, informing them if their reach has been limited.
