Instagram\u2019s feed will now show users recommended posts \u2013 a change that earlier this month was\u00a0spotted while in testing,\u00a0and has since quietly gone live. The feature, described\u00a0here in the company\u2019s Help documentation, will suggest posts for you based on those that have been liked by other accounts you follow.<\/p>\n
The new section, \u201cRecommended for You,\u201d is clearly labelled so as not to be confused with your own home feed. It will contain three to five suggested posts, we\u2019re told.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t the first time Instagram has offered recommended content. But previously, you\u2019d have to head to the Explore section to see recommended posts and videos \u2013 they wouldn\u2019t be pushed to your home feed. You could also see what posts friends have been liking in the Following section if you chose.<\/p>\n
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The injection of recommended content is a fairly big change for Instagram\u2019s feed \u2013 perhaps one of the largest since the switch from the chronological feed to the algorithmic one, or the introduction of ads. It means users scrolling through their home feed will now no longer only see posts from accounts they directly follow alongside the ads. They\u2019ll see things from their wider network, too \u2013 not entirely different from\u00a0Facebook\u2019s new Explore feed, in fact.<\/p>\n
The change comes shortly after another update also focused on broadening users\u2019 access to content beyond what\u2019s being posted to those accounts you explicitly follow. Earlier this month, the company\u00a0introduced a way to allow users to follow hashtags\u00a0\u2013 in other words, you can now follow your interests, not just accounts.<\/p>\n
But unlike the hashtags feature, which is opt-in (as you choose if you want to track hashtags and, if so, which ones), you can\u2019t really disable the new recommendations.<\/p>\n
As\u00a0the Help documentation explains, you can only choose to temporarily hide the \u201cRecommended for You\u201d section. This is done by tapping the three-dot menu above the post, then tapping on \u201cHide.\u201d<\/p>\n
The good news is that the \u201cRecommended for You\u201d section is not meant to displace the content you care about in favour of Instagram\u2019s own suggestions. Rather, the section will appear\u00a0after<\/em>\u00a0you\u2019ve viewed all the posts in your feed, an Instagram spokesperson explains while confirming the feature\u2019s public launch to TechCrunch.<\/p>\n But even still, its appearance has irked some users, who prefer the classic experience \u2013 including, in many cases, the chronological feed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n No Instagram I don’t want “recommended posts” on my feed. I follow the accounts I follow for a reason. CyA.<\/p>\n \u2014 Bella (@bellaabrookss) December 27, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n