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Topics: Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, Technology
Stewart Perrie
Topics: Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, Technology
Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed there are no plans for Instagram to stop showing you content you never really asked for.
Over the last few weeks, users have been complaining that the social media app is starting to resemble TikTok a bit too much.
This comes in the form of seeing more videos from people you don't know and less content from your friends.
Despite a large-scale online campaign calling for the company to revert back to its old ways, it looks like they're steamrolling ahead.
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According to Meta, around 15 per cent of your feed is made up of content that has been recommended to you via artificial intelligence.
Gizmodo reports that number is expected to double to 30 per cent by the end of 2023.
In an earnings call, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Instagram is moving towards being a platform that celebrates all types of content creators, even if you don't want to follow them or want to see their pictures and videos.
“Social content from people you know is going to remain an important part of the experience and some of our most differentiated content, but increasingly we’ll also be able to supplement that with other interesting content from across our networks,” the boss said.
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Meta will be hoping the increase in AI-recommended content will help boost their bottom line.
For the first time in a decade, the company saw a decline in revenue by 1 per cent.
They're hoping by leaning more on Reels that it can beat out the competition created by TikTok and be able to squeeze more screen time in with users.
Mark Zuckerberg said: “As our AI finds additional content that people find interesting, that increases engagement and the quality of our feeds.
"Since we’re already efficient at monetising most of these formats, this should increase our business opportunity over that period as well."
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This comes off the back of Instagram boss Adam Mosseri admitting that they are still tinkering with content feed algorithm.
He posted a Reel earlier this week to finally make a statement about the 'Make Instagram Instagram Again' campaign being promoted by the likes of Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian.
However, since that post, he's now confirmed Instagram will walk back some of the changes that users have noticed recently.
The test showing pictures and videos in full screen will be dropped over the coming weeks and users will see fewer recommendations in their feed.
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Mosseri said: "I'm glad we took a risk — if we're not failing every once in a while, we're not thinking big enough or bold enough,”
“But we definitely need to take a big step back and regroup. [When] we've learned a lot, then we come back with some sort of new idea or iteration. So we're going to work through that.”