Instagram issues clarification on its new algorithm: Reports

Instagram has been trying to eliminate misconceptions about the algorithm of its app and the myths surrounding it, according to various reports.

The company reportedly gathered a few journalists this week to explain the factors affecting the content that a user sees and the order in which the user sees it.

Initially, Instagram made it clear that the number of posts a user sees has increased significantly after the change in its algorithm. In the earlier version, which had a chronological feed, users reportedly missed nearly half the posts their friends put up.

In contrast, users now see nearly 90 percent of their friends' posts. The company explained that the app uses three main factors based on one's past actions and behaviour to determine how the feed will be built:

• Interest- Based on your past behavior on similar content and machine vision, Instagram prioritises your feed to predict which post you will care about more and what matters to you.
• Time value- The time frame in which your friends have shared a post is now an important factor. Instagram will now not show you a post that is weeks old instead of recently-uploaded photos.
• Relationship- Instagram predicts the closeness of two users depending on their past interactions, like comments on photos tagged together. And depending on this relationship, Instagram prioritises your feed.

Instagram also clarified that it takes into account the number of times a user opens the app and the amount of time that user spends online. It also took out some time to bust myths surrounding the working of the new algorithm.

The company said that, at present, it is not considering bringing back the chronological feed, stating it does not want to add more complexity to the application. It also said that Instagram doesn't hide any posts in one's feed.

• The app doesn't favour users who use stories, live chat or other special functions.
• It doesn't down rank a user for posting too many posts. However, it swaps in the content of other users in between someone's if they rapid-fire posts.
• It doesn't give extra preference to personal or business accounts.
• It doesn't hide people's content for posting with too many hashtags or doing something similar.

On one hand, the news of Instagram's decision to not opt for a chronological feed may disappoint a few users. On the other hand, the clarity on the algorithm that is being used to determine the feed has certainly come as a relief.