Instagram Chronological Order: App's Algorithm Updated to Help Sort Feed
Updated |
After months of complaints from users, Instagram announced that it would make an adjustment to the way the app's news feed works.
A blog post from Instagram Thursday said that the company was aware that users were unhappy with the order in which posts appeared and that changes were in the works to help correct that.
“Today we’re introducing changes to give you more control over your feed and ensure the posts you see are timely," the post said.
Users have been begging Instagram for months now to simply bring back chronological order.
But it may not be time to rejoice quite yet. Details in the post said the changes will come in a few forms.
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First, the company plans to introduce a “New Posts” button to the app. This will allow users to decide when they want to refresh their stream and when they don’t. When a user selects the option to show new posts their feed will refresh, if the user does not select it, the feed will stay in the same spot and the user can browse from there.
This "New Post" feature is currently only on the app in test form and not available to all users yet, an Instagram spokesperson told Newsweek.
The second change that Instagram plans to introduce to the app will make newer posts appear first in the news feeds of users. This is something users have been asking for. For example, for days after New Years Eve, some users were still seeing posts from the holiday due to Instagram’s algorithm. This change should help prevent that from happening.
Instagram is not considering a return to the chronological feed, said the spokesperson. While the app won’t fully return to an algorithm for chronological news feeds, Instagram said these new changes will give users more control in the app and make posts visible in a more timely manner.
“With these changes, your feed will feel more fresh, and you won’t miss the moments you care about,” the blog post said.
Additionally, there are more “improvements” to the feed to come, according to the post, though it did not go into detail about what those involved.
“Our goal is to be the best place to share and connect with the people and interests that matter most to you,” the post said.
The vice president of product for Instagram, Kevin Weil, tweeted that the company hopes to share more about changes to the app with users and to work to keep their feedback in mind when making those changes.
This story has been updated to include information from an Instagram spokesperson.
