The United States is headed for a heated year of politics, with the presidential election just around the corner. Even for people outside the US, political news and scandals seem to seep into the feed regardless. In response, a new feature has been introduced on certain social media platforms.
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has introduced a new feature allowing users of Instagram and Threads to reduce political content in their feeds.
As reported by The Verge, users can activate this feature through the "Content Settings" in their Instagram account settings. The option "Restrict political content from people you don't follow" is enabled by default.
Photo: Instagram
This setting also affects Threads, given its shared account system with Instagram.
By opting for this feature, users will encounter fewer political subjects in their feed and suggested content. However, it's important to note that political content from followed accounts will still appear.
Meta stated that this initiative aims to enhance the overall user experience by moderating the recommendation of political content, especially during times of crisis.
“Politics and hard news are important, I don’t want to imply otherwise,” stated Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram.
"But my take is, from a platform’s perspective, any incremental engagement or revenue they might drive is not at all worth the scrutiny, negativity (let’s be honest), or integrity risks that come along with them.”
