Meta has announced significant changes to the way political content will be displayed on its platforms, Threads and Instagram, with users no longer able to opt out of seeing political posts from accounts they do not follow. The decision was revealed by Adam Mosseri, head of both platforms, and follows a shift in the company’s approach towards “free expression” championed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Starting this week in the United States and next week globally, Meta will begin recommending political content in a “responsible and personalized way,” marking a reversal of Mosseri’s stance from 2023, when he stated that Threads would not “encourage” political content. At the time, Mosseri argued that the engagement and revenue from such content were not worth the risks associated with scrutiny, negativity, and integrity issues. However, he acknowledged on Wednesday that it had become “impractical” to distinguish between political and non-political content. He added that users have expressed a desire to see more political content, rather than less.
The change will see the current setting on Threads and Instagram, which allows users to toggle political content recommendations on or off, replaced with three new options: less, standard, and more. By default, users will now be opted in to see a “standard” amount of political content.
The decision is part of Meta’s broader push to prioritize free speech, with Mosseri emphasizing Instagram’s roots in creativity and giving “anybody a voice.” In a video posted on Instagram, he expressed hope that this focus on free expression would improve the platform’s ability to meet its goals.
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions. Some users have reacted negatively, with one Threads user stating, “Well, time to delete the Threads app. It was nice while it lasted.” Others have voiced concerns about the potential for the changes to amplify misinformation and hate speech. Critics have also raised alarms about the impact on minority groups, suggesting that increasing political content recommendations could exacerbate existing social issues.
On the other hand, some users on Instagram have welcomed the change, describing it as a “good step towards the freedom on the platform.” The shift also comes amid speculation that Meta is adjusting its strategies in response to political pressure, including from the incoming Trump administration, which has previously criticized both Meta and Zuckerberg.
While the full impact of these changes remains to be seen, Meta’s decision to adjust the political content approach marks a significant shift in the way social media platforms handle news and political discourse.
