Instagram CEO says algorithm-free feeds could hurt user experience
What's the story
Instagram's CEO Adam Mosseri has warned that an algorithm-free world would lead to a worse user experience. He said users would be "overwhelmed" with brand-related content and spend less time on the app. The warning comes as the Australian government plans to give users an option to opt out of algorithms for social media platforms.
Policy impact
Australian government's proposal on algorithmic feeds
The Australian government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has proposed a policy that would let users choose between an algorithm-driven feed or a reverse chronological one.
Mosseri didn't directly comment on this proposal but explained that Instagram uses several algorithms to rank content.
These include determining which friends' stories appear more frequently and what content appears in users' feeds.
Algorithm debate
Mosseri's views on 'Algo confessions'
The launch of Instagram's Algo Confessions series in Australia, the first outside the US, features celebrities and influencers explaining how content is ranked on the platform.
Mosseri said only a "very vocal minority" wants social media to revert to reverse chronological feeds.
He argued this would only encourage more posting, leading to users being "overwhelmed" with brand content while creators and friends get drowned out.
User experience
Impact of brand content on user experience
Mosseri emphasized that when users are overwhelmed with brand content, their interest in the platform decreases.
This leads to less usage, which further reduces reach and increases user dissatisfaction.
He said, "What happens is people become a bit less interested in the experience and they use it a lot less," adding that this creates an interesting tension between individual preferences and community-wide effects.
Addiction debate
Is Instagram addictive? Mosseri's take
Mosseri also clarified that he doesn't consider Instagram to be addictive in the clinical sense.
He said, "I don't believe Instagram is addictive - I know that is controversial to say."
However, research has shown some users can feel an impulse to use a platform without being fully aware of it.
Evidence also shows frequent engagement with algorithms "alters dopamine pathways" and fosters dependency "analogous to substance addiction."