The wonderful thing about using a fairly autonomous algorithm to control the kinds of content that are deemed popular on your social media platform is that you always have a scapegoat for when people start asking questions. That’s what Instagram is using as a pseudo-excuse as they also flat out admit that they’re trying to suppress specific content that’s being posted onto the site’s Reels feature. Instagram has stated that it’s changing its algorithm to no longer display reels that feature the TikTok watermark in a bid to stop recycled content.

People can call them out all they want (because it is kinda scummy) but at the end of the day, Instagram and TikTok are competing companies, so the Facebook-owned image-sharing social media platform has every right to limit how much TikTok content is on it. To make up for the limitations, Instagram also updated the guide on how to use the social media platform with more tops on how to boost popularity.

How to use Reels (according to Instagram)

Instagram now recommends that users who want to make the most out of Reels should shoot their videos vertically. They should also try and use music included in Instagram’s library and try to “start a trend” while making content that’s “fun” and “entertaining”. Those guidelines couldn’t possibly be more vague or general. Reels with a border, a lot of text or a watermark are more likely to be ignored by Instagram’s algorithm ie. if you’re using a video you made on TikTok rather than on Reels itself.

Speaking to The Verge, Instagram spokesperson Devi Narasimhan said, “We are getting better at using ranking signals that help us predict whether people will find a Reel entertaining and whether we should recommend it.” Narasimhan also mentioned that these changes are to help Reels become a more “satisfying” experience and in order to do that, recycled content must be excluded as much as possible.

Source: The Verge