Instagram will reduce the reach of accounts that do not produce content

The Instagram announced that it will prioritize original content in its recommendation system. In practice, accounts that are based on reposting videos and publications from other platforms may face difficulties in growing within Meta’s social network.

The change aims to value creators who produce their own content, instead of pages that only aggregate third-party materials.

“If your account mainly posts publications with non-original reels, photographs or carousels that you have not created or edited in a significant way, it may not appear in recommendations for new audiences”, informed Meta in a publication on the official blog.

Although the company recognizes that pages that use popular memes may be impacted, the recommendation is that these profiles also start to “produce something original”, such as new editions or creative adaptations. Meta also emphasizes that simply giving credit to the original author will not be enough to avoid the effects of the changes.

According to the company, in order not to be harmed by the new algorithm, the “majority” of publications made in the last 30 days must be composed of original content.

European Union threatens to fine Meta

In parallel with the changes at Instagram, Meta is also facing regulatory pressure in Europe. The European Commission has indicated that it may impose a fine on the company for failures to control access for children under 13 to Facebook and Instagram.

In a statement, the agency stated that, on a preliminary basis, it concluded that the platforms “violate the Digital Services Law by not effectively identifying, evaluating and mitigating the risks of children under 13 accessing their services”.

Although the terms of use establish a minimum age of 13 years, the Commission assesses that “the measures that were implemented to guarantee this restriction do not seem effective”.

According to the European executive, current mechanisms “do not adequately prevent children under 13 from accessing their services nor identify or promptly remove them if they have already managed to access them”.

“For example, when creating an account, minors under the age of 13 can enter a false date of birth so that they are over 13 years old without there being any effective control to verify the veracity of the entered date of birth”, points out the statement.

Another point criticized is the reporting system. According to the Commission, the available tool “is difficult to use and is not effective, as it requires up to seven ‘clicks’ just to reach the complaint report, which is not automatically pre-filled with user information”.

Furthermore, even after reporting, there is not always immediate action. “And even when a minor under 13 is reported for being under the minimum age, there is often no adequate follow-up and the minor in question can simply continue to use the service without any type of verification.”

The European Commission states that platforms need to “strengthen their measures to prevent, detect and remove children under 13 from using their services”.

“The Goal must also effectively combat and mitigate the risks that minors under the age of 13 may face on platforms, which must ensure a high level of privacy, security and protection for minors”, he adds.

The company now has the ability to respond to the preliminary findings and implement changes. Otherwise, if irregularities are confirmed, Meta may be fined up to 6% of global annual revenue.

“The Commission may also impose mandatory financial sanctions to force the platform to comply,” the agency said.

The vice-president of the European Commission, Henna Virkunnen, responsible for the Technological Sovereignty area, highlighted that the rules need to get off the ground. “The DSA obliges platforms to enforce their own rules: terms and conditions should not just be written statements, but the basis for concrete actions to protect users – including children,” he said.

The conclusions are part of a formal investigation opened in May 2024, given concerns about possible failures in the protection of minors on the two social networks.