Instagram limits political content as US presidential election nears
By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor)
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
One Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on The IndependentOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on abc NewsOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Coast ReporterOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Sask TodayOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Star TribuneOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain OutlookOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Prince George CitizenTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on News & RecordOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on KRDOInstagram moves to limit political content
Click to see story on The HillOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on KVIAOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressInstagram Is Limiting the Political Content You See. Here’s How to Stop It
Click to see story on c|netOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Washington Top NewsTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on The Billings GazetteTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Helena Independent RecordTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Lincoln Journal StarTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on MissoulianOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on KOB 4Tech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Montana StandardUsers shocked to find Instagram limits political content by default
Click to see story on Ars TechnicaMore Instagram users note platform limits political content by default
Click to see story on Scripps NewsTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Denison Bulletin & Review – DBRNews.comHow to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on WWMTUsers Shocked To Find Instagram Limits Political Content By Default
Click to see story on slashdot.orgUntracked Bias
One Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on My Mother LodeInstagram will now limit political content.
Click to see story on IndexInstagram is rolling out political content
Click to see story on telex.huSome users on Instagram and Threads complain that a new setting to limit political content, which Meta announced in February, is enabled by default
Click to see story on TechmemeYes, Instagram Is Now Limiting How Much Political Content You See, But You Can Reverse It
Click to see story on Pedestrian TVThe New Instagram Limits Political Content: A Tech Tip
Click to see story on CTN News l Chiang Rai TimesInstagram has changed its rules regarding the presence of political content. The default setting is now limiting posts, reels and accounts that are deemed to be political in nature for users, according to the company.
The new limits on political content come just months before the 2024 presidential election, and some users are criticizing Instagram for the move. However, the social media company is far from the first platform to try and deviate from political content.
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
Instagram users will still see political posts from accounts they choose to follow, and users have the option to opt out of the limitations on political content. However, they will have to go through a series of settings changes to turn political content back on.
Posts or reels believed to be political in nature applies to anything that discusses elections, campaigns, laws, or social issues like immigration or abortion, according to Instagram’s Help Center page.
Instagram said that the reason behind the decision to limit political posts is to create a “great experience for everyone.” However, while users will still see posts from any accounts they follow, the platform won’t be recommending political content from any accounts that the individual is not using.
Instagram will also refrain from showing users random reels or recommended posts as well. The same control on political content will also roll out on Facebook at later date, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Facebook has a history of trying other means to keep politics out of news feeds. The company has faced criticism over the years for promoting and demoting certain political views and content on its platform. A Facebook spokesperson told the Journal that users want to see less politics overall.
According to the spokesperson, Facebook “tested various approaches” and “ultimately implemented changes that reduces politics.”
Political Facebook posts reportedly account for “less than 3% of total content views in users’ newsfeeds.”
Unbiased news.
Directly to your inbox. Free!
Learn more about our emails. Unsubscribe anytime.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
According to Reuters, TikTok also has stipulations when it comes to posting political videos. Users are not allowed to fundraise for a politician or political cause. They are also not allowed to promote videos that are political in nature and touch on sensitive social issues, like immigration and abortion, according to the company.
According to CBS News, any sort of “content controls” social media companies wish to implement on its users are completely up to them. However, a U.S. Supreme Court case set to be decided on later this year could change that, if the majority of justices rule that such controls actually violate a user’s First Amendment rights.
[KARAH RUCKER]
INSTAGRAM HAS CHANGED ITS RULES ON SHOWING YOU POLITICAL CONTENT.
THE DEFAULT SETTING IS NOW LIMITING POSTS, REELS, AND ACCOUNTS THAT ARE POLITICAL IN NATURE.
THE NEW LIMITS COME WITH JUST MONTHS TO GO BEFORE THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
AND WHILE SOME USERS ARE CRITICIZING INSTAGRAM FOR THE MOVE, THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM IS FAR FROM THE FIRST TO TRY AND DEVIATE FROM POLITICS.
INSTAGRAM USERS WILL STILL SEE POLITICAL POSTS FROM ACCOUNTS THEY FOLLOW. AND USERS HAVE THE OPTION TO OPT OUT OF THIS LIMITATION – BUT YOU’VE GOTTA GO THROUGH YOUR SETTINGS TO TURN POLITICAL CONTENT BACK ON.
SO, WHAT QUALIFIES AS POLITICAL CONTENT?
POSTS OR REELS THAT TALK ABOUT ELECTIONS. CAMPAIGNS. LAWS. OR SOCIAL ISSUES LIKE IMMIGRATION OR ABORTION.
THE REASON BEHIND THE CHANGE?
INSTAGRAM WANTS TO BE A QUOTE “GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE.”
THOUGH YOU’LL STILL SEE POSTS FROM ACCOUNTS YOU FOLLOW, THE PLATFORM ISN’T GOING TO RECOMMEND POLITICAL CONTENT FROM ANY ACCOUNTS YOU’RE NOT FOLLOWING.
AND THEY WON’T RANDOMLY SHOW UP IN REELS OR RECOMMENDED POSTS, EITHER.
THIS SAME CONTROL ON POLITICAL POSTS WILL ROLL OUT ON FACEBOOK AT A LATER DATE.
FACEBOOK – HAS A HISTORY OF TRYING OTHER MEANS TO KEEP POLITICS OUT OF NEWSFEEDS.
FACEBOOK HAS FACED CRITICISM OVER THE YEARS FOR PROMOTING AND DEMOTING CERTAIN POLITICAL VIEWS AND CONTENT ON ITS PLATFORM.
A FACEBOOK SPOKESPERSON TOLD THE WALL STREET JOURNAL USERS WANT TO SEE LESS POLITICS OVERALL.
FACEBOOK TESTED VARIOUS APPROACHES AND ULTIMATELY IMPLEMENTED CHANGES THAT REDUCE POLITICS.
POSTS THAT ARE POLITICAL ACCOUNT FOR “LESS THAN 3% OF TOTAL CONTENT VIEWS IN USERS’ NEWSFEEDS.”
TIKTOK ALSO HAS STIPULATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO POSTING POLITICAL REELS.
YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO FUNDRAISE FOR A POLITICIAN OR POLITICAL CAUSE.
YOU’RE ALSO NOT ALLOWED TO PROMOTE REELS THAT ARE POLITICAL IN NATURE OR TOUCH ON SENSITIVE SOCIAL ISSUES – LIKE IMMIGRATION OR ABORTION.
ANY SORT OF “CONTENT CONTROLS” A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY WANTS TO IMPLEMENT ON ITS USERS IS COMPLETELY UP TO THEM.
FOR NOW.
BUT A SUPREME COURT CASE SET TO BE DECIDED ON LATER THIS YEAR COULD CHANGE THAT IF THE JUSTICES RULE THAT SUCH-CONTROLS ACTUALLY VIOLATE A USER’S FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
One Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on The IndependentOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on abc NewsOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Coast ReporterOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Sask TodayOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Star TribuneOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain OutlookOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Prince George CitizenTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on News & RecordOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on KRDOInstagram moves to limit political content
Click to see story on The HillOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on KVIAOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressInstagram Is Limiting the Political Content You See. Here’s How to Stop It
Click to see story on c|netOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Washington Top NewsTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on The Billings GazetteTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Helena Independent RecordTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Lincoln Journal StarTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on MissoulianOne Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on KOB 4Tech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Montana StandardUsers shocked to find Instagram limits political content by default
Click to see story on Ars TechnicaMore Instagram users note platform limits political content by default
Click to see story on Scripps NewsTech tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on Denison Bulletin & Review – DBRNews.comHow to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on WWMTUsers Shocked To Find Instagram Limits Political Content By Default
Click to see story on slashdot.orgUntracked Bias
One Tech Tip: How to get around Instagram’s new limits on political content
Click to see story on My Mother LodeInstagram will now limit political content.
Click to see story on IndexInstagram is rolling out political content
Click to see story on telex.huSome users on Instagram and Threads complain that a new setting to limit political content, which Meta announced in February, is enabled by default
Click to see story on TechmemeYes, Instagram Is Now Limiting How Much Political Content You See, But You Can Reverse It
Click to see story on Pedestrian TVThe New Instagram Limits Political Content: A Tech Tip
Click to see story on CTN News l Chiang Rai TimesVOTE WITH THE UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.™
We promise you context and clarity when it matters the most!
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
MOST POPULAR
-
Joe Rogan podcast could be next campaign stop for Trump, Harris
Watch 3:565 hrs ago -
Mask mandates return for some California health care workers
Watch 1:557 hrs ago -
Bath & Body Works faces backlash over offensive candle design
Watch 1:5210 hrs ago -
North Korea blows up key roads, rail lines on border with South Korea
Watch 2:3610 hrs ago