Instagram Denies Limiting the Reach of User Posts

[MacRumors]

Instagram has moved to address rumors that it actively suppresses the reach of user posts on the social network.

In a statement posted on its official Twitter account, Instagram said that it has not made any recent changes to the way its feed algorithms work and that "we never hide posts from people you're following - if you keep scrolling, you will see them all."

Instagram explained that the order of posts in a feed is determined by the level of user interaction - in other words, like its parent network Facebook, posts on Instagram are organized by potential level of engagement rather than in chronological order.

What shows up first in your feed is determined by what posts and accounts you engage with the most, as well as other contributing factors such as the timeliness of posts, how often you use Instagram, how many people you follow, etc. - Instagram (@instagram) January 22, 2019

We have not made any recent changes to feed ranking, and we never hide posts from people you're following - if you keep scrolling, you will see them all. Again, your feed is personalized to you and evolves over time based on how you use Instagram.✌️ - Instagram (@instagram) January 22, 2019

Instagram adopted Facebook's algorithmic feed way back in June 2016. A study by Instagram itself found that before the algorithm was introduced, on average, users missed 70 percent of the posts on their feeds and 50 percent of the posts from their friends.

After the algorithm though, Instagram's users see 90 percent of their friends' posts. Given those figures, recent rumors that the platform have been limiting the reach of posts could just well be the result of some users not scrolling down far enough.

Article Link: Instagram Denies Limiting the Reach of User Posts

 

[martyjmclean]

Surely a non chronological feed to drive ad revenue is limiting post's reach.

 

[simonmet]

Why I can’t stand any of these socoal networks, Twitter included.

 

[HacKage]

"we never hide posts from people you're following -​

if you keep scrolling, you will see them all."​

​

​

This is the problem though. In order to see my friend's posts, I had to scroll for roughly a minute or 2 non stop to get past the posts from companies and professional pages' posts, some of which were 4-5 days old. Posts from actual people that were 1 hour old were not even in the top 50 posts showing on my feed. There is an unrelated advert every fifth post as well on the feed, as well as every fifth story.

That along with the fact that they actively listen to you even when the screen is off and then feed you ads related to what you are talking about (I have experienced it twice, and many others send me proof of it the more I talk about it) means I deleted my Facebook and IG accounts, and the apps from all devices. Everything Facebook touches ends up poisoned.

 

[Zxxv]

Just stop following more than you can possibly read and your problem is solved. Who in their right mind can follow 2000 people who each post 3 photos a day. 6000 photos you are going to look at and give attention to? Please! Give some respect to the people.

 

[caskin8a]

The design language is clear with these infinite scroll feeds. You're intentionally meant to a. feel a lack of control over what you see; b. feel a sense of FOMO and a need to endlessly scroll to make sure you saw it all; and c. confuse the emotive response you get from seeing a friend's content with that of an advertiser.

These tech firms have some of the world's brightest and best - none of these design choices are mistakes.

Seriously, just delete it. Anyone who's all "I need it for marketing blah blah" - stop trying to monetize ridiculous want-trends. Make a better/more useful product.

 

[5105973]

I was in line at a clothing store paying for my daughter’s school clothes and there was a young lady, approximately in her mid 20’s, next to me at the other cashier. She was asked for her ID for some form of payment she was making. The very pretty but clearly depth-of-personality challenged young lady put her nose up in the air and said in a very condescending tone “I’m on Instagram as...Whatever...you can look me up”. And she honestly thought that was an acceptable form of ID and proceeded to argue the point and treated the cashier as if she were from the Stone Age for not knowing that.

My 14 year old looked at her, shook her head and shot her a look and said in a mumble that was still clear enough to be overheard “Old people! They think Instagram is everything.”

Yes she knew she was being a snarky little thing but she thought that person was being incredibly rude to the patient cashier and all the people in line waiting to be rung up. And not many teenagers can pass up an opportunity to burn a twenty-something.

I do think eventually Instagram will be the next old fart’s graveyard. Younger more savvy people will find it too cumbersome and find something more nimble and cool until the old marketing farts find a way to ruin the new thing, too.

 

[HacKage]

I was in line at a clothing store paying for my daughter’s school clothes and there was a young lady, approximately in her mid 20’s, next to me at the other cashier. She was asked for her ID for some form of payment she was making. The very pretty but clearly depth-of-personality challenged young lady put her nose up in the air and said in a very condescending tone “I’m on Instagram as...Whatever...you can look me up”. And she honestly thought that was an acceptable form of ID and proceeded to argue the point and treated the cashier as if she were from the Stone Age for not knowing that.

My 14 year old looked at her, shook her head and shot her a look and said in a mumble that was still clear enough to be overheard “Old people! They think Instagram is everything.”

Yes she knew she was being a snarky little thing but she thought that person was being incredibly rude to the patient cashier and all the people in line waiting to be rung up. And not many teenagers can pass up an opportunity to burn a twenty-something.

I do think eventually Instagram will be the next old fart’s graveyard. Younger more savvy people will find it too cumbersome and find something more nimble and cool until the old marketing farts find a way to ruin the new thing, too.

Unlike Facebook that is still useful for some to arrange events or for news, Instagram is entirely about advertising and vanity. It has nothing of any substance. Quick, visual input that does nothing to enrich your life in any way. It's for "influencers" who do nothing but ruin the lives of people who become obsessed with having the next big thing. For people to fake their lives online to show how they've "made it", making others feel jealous etc. Instagram is not too big to fail, and as soon as something more streamlined or better comes along, everyone will jump ship.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

The real news here should be that Insta has a Twitter account and uses it for announcements about its own service.

 

[Jimmy James]

Isn’t Instagram owned by Facebook?

I may be a minority but non-chronological feeds have had an impact on reducing my usage to almost nil.

 

[5105973]

Isn’t Instagram owned by Facebook?

I may be a minority but non-chronological feeds have had an impact on reducing my usage to almost nil.

Yes it’s owned by Facebook. FB was such a hot mess to navigate when I left it about three years ago. I still have my account. I just set it to dormant and uninstalled the app.

 

[redbeard331]

They say this however last year my account became invisible to most of my followers for reasons I’ve yet to find an answer to. Multiple attempts to reach them and I’ve yet to even get a response, then I remembered they are owned by that ******** company Facebook and I know why.

 

[C DM]

Isn’t Instagram owned by Facebook?

I may be a minority but non-chronological feeds have had an impact on reducing my usage to almost nil.

Might not be a minority there, or at least not a small minority.

 

[nburwell]

Of course they denied it. They're owned by Facebook.

 

[bstpierre]

Back when it was chronological, I would scroll down to the first post I remember and work may way back up to the top. Once I got to the top I knew I was "caught up". Can't do that now, so I almost never open the app.

 

[fairuz]

Just stop following more than you can possibly read and your problem is solved. Who in their right mind can follow 2000 people who each post 3 photos a day. 6000 photos you are going to look at and give attention to? Please! Give some respect to the people.

Yeah, if I only follow enough people for there to be 10-40 posts per day, can't it just show them in order? Why are they so difficult about this? Oh well, it doesn't matter that much either way.
[doublepost=1548299114][/doublepost]

Back when it was chronological, I would scroll down to the first post I remember and work may way back up to the top. Once I got to the top I knew I was "caught up". Can't do that now, so I almost never open the app.

There is finally an indicator saying "you're all caught up" if you scroll down to it. That alone made me start using the app again.
[doublepost=1548299541][/doublepost]

They say this however last year my account became invisible to most of my followers for reasons I’ve yet to find an answer to. Multiple attempts to reach them and I’ve yet to even get a response, then I remembered they are owned by that ******** company Facebook and I know why.

Well, this isn't something they're known for doing.
[doublepost=1548299853][/doublepost]

Isn’t Instagram owned by Facebook?

I may be a minority but non-chronological feeds have had an impact on reducing my usage to almost nil.

Apparently their user metrics show that it's helpful. I wish the bad changes made for bad feedback, but apparently that's not the case, so it supports their arrogance. Though Snapchat rightfully got bitten for forcing an awful redesign.

 

[Ebok]

I was in line at a clothing store paying for my daughter’s school clothes and there was a young lady, approximately in her mid 20’s, next to me at the other cashier. She was asked for her ID for some form of payment she was making. The very pretty but clearly depth-of-personality challenged young lady put her nose up in the air and said in a very condescending tone “I’m on Instagram as...Whatever...you can look me up”. And she honestly thought that was an acceptable form of ID and proceeded to argue the point and treated the cashier as if she were from the Stone Age for not knowing that.

we can harp on the 20 year old for being this way but did you call out the cashier/business for their illegal practice?

 

[C DM]

we can harp on the 20 year old for being this way but did you call out the cashier/business for their illegal practice?

Doesn't quite seem it's illegal or consistent really: https://www.thebalance.com/no-id-required-for-credit-card-purchases-3974686