Two years ago, Instagram rolled out algorithm changes that cut traffic to accounts that reposted Reels from other accounts, prioritizing original content from creators. Now, the social media platform is finally giving that same treatment to photos and carousels.
In a Reel, Instagram’s Adam Mosseri shared that, over the next month, Instagram will begin flagging accounts that post unoriginal photos, reducing reach to only followers and not recommending the content to new followers. The move echoes what Instagram already does for Reels – and has already had in place for two years.
The move shifts the algorithm away from aggregators who post other people’s content to help push more traffic to the original creator, which will now be applied to photos and carousels as well as Reels.
Mosseri explains that the change is on an account-wide basis, rather than post-by-post. Instagram algorithms will look at an account, and if the account is posting a majority of what Instagram calls “unoriginal content,” then the platform will no longer recommend that account to non-followers.
Users will have the ability to appeal if they believe their account was flagged in error, as well as the opportunity to remove the unoriginal content for reconsideration.
Of course, on any social media platform, memes make up a portion of those photos. But Instagram says that if a meme is “meaningfully enhanced,” then it won’t fall under that “unoriginal label.” Reuploading someone else’s photo with a different caption, border, watermark, or subtitles will be flagged as unoriginal content, Instagram says.
Users who wish to share another creator’s content may use the Repost button instead, Instagram says. Adding a collaborator to a post or a paid partnership label is another option Instagram recommends for sharing original content to multiple accounts without penalty.
Instagram notes that the algorithm guidelines for original content are separate from the company’s intellectual property policies. The social media platform also notes that the change won’t impact publishers with licensing agreements.
Creators can check to see if their account is affected by going to their profile, tapping the three-line “hamburger menu” and tapping Settings. The Account Status option is under “More Info and Support” in the Settings menu.
Instagram did not indicate why the feature that rolled out to Reels in 2024 has taken two years to come to photos. However, Instagram says that "75 percent of recommendations in the US are now coming from original posts.”
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