Instagram has announced it will reintroduce the chronological feed to display posts in the order they were posted as opposed to its current ranking algorithm which sorts posts based on a number of user preferences.
A welcome return
It was Instagram head, Adam Mosseri, that announced the news earlier this week when he revealed the image-sharing app was working on a version of its feed that would see the current algorithm scrapped in favour of its much-loved chronological feed.
The popular feature was first introduced in 2016 and subsequently updated in 2017 to include recommended posts, much to the outcry of the vast majority of the app’s users. It currently relies on artificial intelligence in an attempt by Instagram to deliver a personalised experience based on user activity.
A wider focus on online safety
In an appearance before the Senate subcommittee this week, Mosseri, who has held his role since 2018, was grilled by senators about the app’s stance on child safety as well as the widely regarded fact that it may be toxic to teenagers.
It came just a day after Instagram rolled out a brand-new feature it has titled ‘Take a Break’ which was tested by a number of select users last month and prompts users to opt-in to pause the app after they have been using it for a certain period of time. It also announced it will introduce more features in the coming year in a wider shift towards online safety with parental controls one of its key concerns going forward.
