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Home / News / Instagram is getting ready to shake up your photo feed

Instagram is getting ready to shake up your photo feed

Algorithms are the future - say goodbye to the classic newest-first order

Instagram has slapped newly-posted photos to the top of your feed ever since it first launched – but that’s all set to change soon.

Apparently, some users are missing up to 70% of the photos in their feed, meaning jaw-dropping locations and one-in-a-lifetime shots are getting buried by nightclub selfies and snaps of people’s lunch.

The answer seems to be a similer version of the algorithm used by Instagram’s owner Facebook.

That would prioritise your feed based on the users to comment and like the most, along with other mysterious factors that are constantly being tweaked behind the scenes at Facebook.

If you follow hundreds of users on Instagram, an algorithmic feed might make sense; you won’t have to scroll through a load of photos just to find your mates’ holiday snaps.

For everyone following just a few dozen users, though, it just seems like it’ll make things more complicated.

Instagram says the new algorithm will be launching in new next few months, meaning you’ve got plenty of time to make your voice heard if you prefer the old system.

Aside from the fact I’m a little OCD and think chronological order just makes sense to my brain, I’m not a big fan of how Facebook’s algorithm assumes that liking one thing means you want your feed to be filled with that person’s posts.

Hopefully whatever Instagram comes up with will make more sense – and you’ll be able to opt out if you don’t like the new system.

[source: Instagram blog]

Profile image of Tom Morgan-Freelander Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

About

A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

Areas of expertise

Smartphones/tablets/computing, cameras, home cinema, automotive, virtual reality, gaming