Meta, under the leadership of Instagram boss Adam Mosseri, has announced that it will no longer recommend political content to users on Instagram or Threads. While users will still have access to political content from accounts they follow, the platforms will no longer actively promote such posts.
This change, set to roll out gradually over the next few weeks, will affect public accounts in areas where Meta’s recommendation algorithms typically suggest content, such as Instagram’s Reels, Explore, and suggested users on Threads. Although Mosseri did not delve into specifics on how Meta will define “political,” a spokesperson clarified that it would encompass election-related topics and social issues.
The spokesperson explained, “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.” They emphasized that this definition is subject to refinement as Meta engages with platform users, communities, and external experts.
Despite the default limitation on political content suggestions, users who wish to view such content can opt-in through Instagram and Threads’ settings. Meta reassured that the update will not alter how users see posts from accounts they have chosen to follow. Mosseri emphasized, “Our goal is to preserve the ability for people to choose to interact with political content, while respecting each person’s appetite for it.”
This decision marks Meta’s latest effort to discourage discussions on potentially problematic topics within Threads. The company has previously implemented measures to block “potentially sensitive” subjects like vaccine and COVID-related terms from search results. Mosseri has also expressed Meta’s stance against “encouraging” users to engage in political discourse and hard news on the app.
However, this change may prompt criticism from users and creators who perceive Meta as unfairly suppressing certain content types. Meta mentioned that Instagram users with “professional” accounts can utilize the “account status” feature to determine if their posts are eligible for recommendations.
