Instagram updates algorithm to limit exposure after major controversy

Instagram has announced a significant update to its recommendation algorithm as part of a broader effort to enhance child safety on the platform.

The change comes in response to growing criticism and legal challenges accusing the platform of facilitating predatory behaviour.

In a recent blog post, Meta, Instagram’s parent company, outlined new protections aimed at preventing “potentially suspicious adults” from discovering and engaging with accounts that primarily feature children, even when those accounts are managed by adults, such as parents or talent managers.

These types of accounts will no longer be recommended to users flagged as suspicious, such as those who have been blocked by teenage users.

This update follows a 2023 lawsuit alleging that Facebook and Instagram had effectively become a “marketplace” for predators, enabling the distribution of child sexual abuse material.

That same year, an investigation by The Wall Street Journal found that Instagram’s recommendation systems were inadvertently promoting networks of pedophiles.

In response, Meta has been rolling out new safety features aimed at protecting underage users.

These protections are now being expanded to adult-run accounts that frequently post images of children.

In addition to limiting exposure in recommendations, Instagram will also restrict such adults from commenting on posts and make it more difficult for these accounts to find one another through search.