Instagram to ditch chronological user feed for 'interest' based one

Sequence of posts to be based on interest in content, the user's relationship with the person or timeliness of post


Reuters March 16, 2016
A screen displays the Instagram logo during a presentation by co-founder Kevin Systrom as he announces the launch of a new direct image messaging service named Instagram Direct in New York December 12, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS

Facebook Inc's picture-sharing app Instagram said it is reshuffling feeds to display curated content that users would 'care' about first.

The sequence of posts would be based on the likelihood of interest in the content, the user's relationship with the person or timeliness of the post, Instagram said in a blog post.

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On an average, users miss 70 percent of their feeds, Instagram added.

Instagram is the latest addition to the growing list of social media platforms reorganizing user feed to draw better attention from users.

Twitter Inc, in February, jumped on the feed customization bandwagon and let go of uniformly displaying tweets in reverse chronological order.

Facebook's feed also displays content in a similar algorithmic fashion based upon user interests.

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The widely used photo-sharing app's decision to move away from its time-based feed could rid it of one prime feature - showing real-time content.

Technology blogger Techcrunch argues that users would have to worry about making their posts good enough to be chosen by the algorithm or their posts could be de-prioritized.

Instagram said the change in the feed for users would roll out in the coming months.

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