Instagram Denies Limiting the Reach of User Posts - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Instagram Denies Limiting the Reach of User Posts

by

instagramlogoInstagram has moved to address rumors that it actively suppresses the reach of user posts on the social network.

In a statement posted on its official Twitter account, Instagram said that it has not made any recent changes to the way its feed algorithms work and that "we never hide posts from people you're following - if you keep scrolling, you will see them all."

Instagram explained that the order of posts in a feed is determined by the level of user interaction – in other words, like its parent network Facebook, posts on Instagram are organized by potential level of engagement rather than in chronological order.


Instagram adopted Facebook's algorithmic feed way back in June 2016. A study by Instagram itself found that before the algorithm was introduced, on average, users missed 70 percent of the posts on their feeds and 50 percent of the posts from their friends.

After the algorithm though, Instagram's users see 90 percent of their friends' posts. Given those figures, recent rumors that the platform have been limiting the reach of posts could just well be the result of some users not scrolling down far enough.

Top Rated Comments

102 months ago
Surely a non chronological feed to drive ad revenue is limiting post's reach.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
102 months ago
"we never hide posts from people you're following - if you keep scrolling, you will see them all."
This is the problem though. In order to see my friend's posts, I had to scroll for roughly a minute or 2 non stop to get past the posts from companies and professional pages' posts, some of which were 4-5 days old. Posts from actual people that were 1 hour old were not even in the top 50 posts showing on my feed. There is an unrelated advert every fifth post as well on the feed, as well as every fifth story.

That along with the fact that they actively listen to you even when the screen is off and then feed you ads related to what you are talking about (I have experienced it twice, and many others send me proof of it the more I talk about it) means I deleted my Facebook and IG accounts, and the apps from all devices. Everything Facebook touches ends up poisoned.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
102 months ago
I was in line at a clothing store paying for my daughter’s school clothes and there was a young lady, approximately in her mid 20’s, next to me at the other cashier. She was asked for her ID for some form of payment she was making. The very pretty but clearly depth-of-personality challenged young lady put her nose up in the air and said in a very condescending tone “I’m on Instagram as...Whatever...you can look me up”. And she honestly thought that was an acceptable form of ID and proceeded to argue the point and treated the cashier as if she were from the Stone Age for not knowing that.

My 14 year old looked at her, shook her head and shot her a :confused: look and said in a mumble that was still clear enough to be overheard “Old people! They think Instagram is everything.”

Yes she knew she was being a snarky little thing but she thought that person was being incredibly rude to the patient cashier and all the people in line waiting to be rung up. And not many teenagers can pass up an opportunity to burn a twenty-something.

I do think eventually Instagram will be the next old fart’s graveyard. Younger more savvy people will find it too cumbersome and find something more nimble and cool until the old marketing farts find a way to ruin the new thing, too.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jimmy James Avatar
102 months ago
Isn’t Instagram owned by Facebook?

I may be a minority but non-chronological feeds have had an impact on reducing my usage to almost nil.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
102 months ago
I was in line at a clothing store paying for my daughter’s school clothes and there was a young lady, approximately in her mid 20’s, next to me at the other cashier. She was asked for her ID for some form of payment she was making. The very pretty but clearly depth-of-personality challenged young lady put her nose up in the air and said in a very condescending tone “I’m on Instagram as...Whatever...you can look me up”. And she honestly thought that was an acceptable form of ID and proceeded to argue the point and treated the cashier as if she were from the Stone Age for not knowing that.

My 14 year old looked at her, shook her head and shot her a :confused: look and said in a mumble that was still clear enough to be overheard “Old people! They think Instagram is everything.”

Yes she knew she was being a snarky little thing but she thought that person was being incredibly rude to the patient cashier and all the people in line waiting to be rung up. And not many teenagers can pass up an opportunity to burn a twenty-something.

I do think eventually Instagram will be the next old fart’s graveyard. Younger more savvy people will find it too cumbersome and find something more nimble and cool until the old marketing farts find a way to ruin the new thing, too.
Unlike Facebook that is still useful for some to arrange events or for news, Instagram is entirely about advertising and vanity. It has nothing of any substance. Quick, visual input that does nothing to enrich your life in any way. It's for "influencers" who do nothing but ruin the lives of people who become obsessed with having the next big thing. For people to fake their lives online to show how they've "made it", making others feel jealous etc. Instagram is not too big to fail, and as soon as something more streamlined or better comes along, everyone will jump ship.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thisisnotmyname Avatar
102 months ago
The real news here should be that Insta has a Twitter account and uses it for announcements about its own service.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Instagram Feature 1

Instagram Launches Apple TV App With Reels and More

Saturday October 24, 2026 9:27 pm PDT by
Instagram is now available on the Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows via the platform to Apple's streaming device for the first time. The Instagram app for Apple TV lets users watch content from their favorite creators, discover videos, and resume watching across devices. Instagram describes the app as a way to watch together with friends and family, extending its video...
instagram edits mac

Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac

Thursday November 5, 2026 9:36 am PST by
Instagram today expanded its Edits video editing app to the Mac. Edits for Mac is intended for larger projects that benefit from a big screen and the control of a mouse and keyboard. The app includes Instagram's licensed and royalty-free audio libraries, sound and video effects, and unlimited automatic captions. Edits for Mac has a full multi-track timeline, keyframes for dynamic...
duo aquarium

More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try

Friday November 6, 2026 3:27 pm PST by
When the iPhone Duo launched, we shared a list of some of the fun apps developers created for the new form factor. Two weeks out, developers are continuing to come up with fresh ideas, so we thought we'd share some of our favorites. Games Marbles Unhinged ($2.99) - Marbles Unhinged is a marble maze designed for the Duo. When you fold it, the floor turns into a ramp. If you stand the top...
Latest Stories
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed
5 hours ago
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
Siri AI Rumored to Become 'More Like an Agent' as Early as Next Year
15 hours ago
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28
17 hours ago
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
2 days ago
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
'Backglow' Lets You Customize New MacBook Pro's Glowing Apple Logo
2 days ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
2 days ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
2 days ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 days ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
2 days ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
3 days ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
3 days ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
3 days ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
3 days ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
3 days ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
3 days ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
3 days ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
3 days ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
3 days ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
3 days ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
3 days ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
3 days ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
3 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
3 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
3 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
3 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
3 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
4 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
4 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
4 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
4 days ago