Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head of product, has today revealed a taste of how the new choices on this front will operate, following last year’s introduction of a reverse chronological, algorithm-free post feed.
Instagram is planning to introduce two distinct chronological feed alternatives: ‘Favorites,’ which would show a list of accounts based on those you add to your ‘Favorites’ list, and ‘Following,’ which will present the accounts you follow in reverse timeline order without any additional recommendations.
The key takeaway is that your algorithm-defined “Home” feed will include “more and more recommendations over time,” as Instagram strives to increase content discovery and get users to spend more time, and money, in the app, according to Mosseri.
So that’s good, right? You’ll soon have the option to view your posts in reverse chronological order once again, with an easy switch to toggle between the different feeds. That’s what users have been asking for for years, right?
Well, kind of.
The issue with Instagram’s solution, which has been in testing since early December, is that you won’t be able to make your choice the preferred option, therefore you’ll have to manually change over to your ‘Favorites’ or ‘Following’ feed every time you use the app.
Now, in the realm of Instagram feed management, that is not a major burden – simply tapping on an additional feed toggle will provide you with easy access to an algorithm-free Instagram experience if that’s what you want. However, while Instagram recognizes that most people will not bother, it also knows that the majority of users would rather just use the algorithm-defined feed as they always have, making it a win-win situation for the platform in terms of positive user PR and without any significant decreases in overall engagement since most consumers will continue to utilize the algorithm-provided feed
Why should Instagram be confident? Because Facebook also offers the same choice, with the option to return your Facebook News Feed to chronological sequence, just as it did in years past when people used to poke and express their emotions in their postings.
Users have been clamoring for a switch-off option in the News Feed algorithm since 2016, and ever since, Facebook has refused to provide it..Facebook has experimented with a variety of methods to give this, and you may easily switch to a ‘Recent’ feed in settings. In 2020, Facebook tried out a test that would have made it more upfront by allowing you to choose whether you wanted your feed set up like Apple’s or Google’s.
Yes, Facebook already offers the same choices as Instagram is now suggesting, with News Feed sorting based on “Favorites,” which are determined by the individuals and profiles you select, and “Recent,” which features the most recent material from people you follow.
Users have access to these options right away, while others must delve deeper in their settings. However, even if you have permission, you’re probably not utilizing them because while you may prefer seeing your feed in reverse chronological order, you’re not going to manually choose the display option every time you log in. Right?
Facebook and Instagram are well aware of this. As a result, while it’s nice that Instagram is attempting to expand choices, and that it will undoubtedly work to reduce user complaints about lack of control, because these options will be readily accessible, in reality, not many individuals will use them.
So it’s not exactly a return to the Instagram of old, and it isn’t intended to eliminate the algorithm entirely. Social media platforms have all seen significant increases in interaction as a result of algorithmic sorting, which has caused them to resist letting you just turn them off so quickly.
Most people don’t read all of their main feed postings anyhow, and if you switch away from the ‘Home’ feed display, you could miss vital information. This will lend further credibility to its preferred algorithmic approach, which will ensure that even more users forget about these choices.
In essence, it’s a conciliatory approach rather than one focused on usefulness; it’s an attempt by Instagram to appease some of the more vocal critics of its algorithmic approach while still obtaining optimal gains.
This isn’t necessarily a negative development, since it could be that the algorithm feed is superior, even if users don’t believe it. However, it’s worth noting that this isn’t Instagram’s promise of returning user control.
In a statement, Mosseri says that the brand’s new feed choices are now being tested with a view to widespread adoption “by the first half of this year.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login