Meta's Threads and Instagram to start recommending political content in another Zuckerberg U-turn

Meta is making yet another significant change to its content policies, announcing that Instagram and Threads will soon begin recommending political content to users. This marks a reversal of last year’s policy, which allowed users to see political posts only if they actively opted in. According to Instagram head Adam Mosseri, the platforms will now offer three levels of exposure to political content: “less,” “standard” (the default setting), and “more.”

The change is set to roll out in the United States this week, with global implementation expected in the coming weeks. Mosseri explained that drawing strict boundaries around what qualifies as political content has proven unworkable, prompting this shift in approach.

Shifting policies amid speculation

This update is part of a broader series of adjustments Meta has been making to its platforms. Observers speculate that these changes are designed to align Meta more closely with the political climate in the United States, particularly as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.

One of the more controversial moves includes Meta’s decision to eliminate third-party fact-checkers across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Instead, the company is adopting a “Community Notes” feature, a crowd-sourced model similar to what is used on X (formerly Twitter). Additionally, the recent appointment of Joel Kaplan, a Republican insider, as Meta’s president of global affairs further reinforces the perception of a right-leaning pivot.

More from Tech

How ChatGPT is becoming everyone’s BFF and why that’s dangerous America ready for self-driving cars, but it has a legal problem

Criticism over content moderation

Meta’s moderation practices have faced increased scrutiny in recent days. Instagram recently came under fire for blocking several LGBTQ-related hashtags, mistakenly labelling them as “sexually suggestive material” for months. While the company has acknowledged the error, the incident has raised concerns about the effectiveness and biases of its content moderation systems.

These changes have sparked mixed reactions from users and advocacy groups. Critics argue that Meta’s shifts in policy and leadership signal a move away from impartiality, potentially prioritising political alliances over user trust and content accuracy.

A strategic but risky U-Turn

By reintroducing political content recommendations, Meta appears to be re-evaluating its approach to platform engagement and political discourse.

While the move offers users more control over the type of content they encounter, it also raises questions about the company’s motivations and the implications for global users. With polarisation and misinformation still significant issues online, Meta’s policy shifts could have wide-reaching consequences for the digital landscape.