Instagram’s policy of reducing quality for less-viewed videos sparks creator backlash

Instagram’s disclosure that it lowers the quality of older, less popular videos has been met with criticism from creators, who have described the policy as “alarming.” Users of the Meta-owned social media platform expressed apprehension after its head, Adam Mosseri, stated that higher quality is reserved for more popular content. “We bias to higher quality… for creators who drive more views,” Mr. Mosseri wrote in a post on Threads on Sunday. One creator informed the BBC that this situation was “disheartening” for those who have shifted their focus to producing content for Instagram over other platforms. “I think it is incredibly harmful to the creative’s art,” commented Siete Savone, a 25-year-old creator. She conveyed her enjoyment of using the platform and her understanding of its necessity to update and introduce new features. However, she asserted that the platform should not implement changes “actually affecting the quality of someone’s original artistic work.” She further stated, “No one should have to worry about the quality of their content not being retained due to Instagram retaining an “engagement bias” in favour of creators with more visibility.” Mr. Mosseri explained that Instagram reduces the quality of videos that have not been watched for an extended period, noting that most views occur soon after publication. He added that the platform would improve a video’s quality again if it subsequently gained popularity. Social media consultant Matt Navarra told the BBC that this action “seems to somewhat contradict Instagram’s earlier messages or efforts to encourage new creators.” He posed the question, “How can creators gain traction if their content is penalised for not being popular?” He also suggested that the policy could risk creating a cycle where more established creators benefit from higher engagement from viewers, while those attempting to build their following are disadvantaged. Ms. Siete agreed, stating, “The playing field amongst small creators and big creators alike should be even.” The underlying reason for Instagram’s decision is the cost associated with streaming videos. Videos with higher resolution or containing numerous visual assets, such as edits, images, or other clips, demand greater computing power for encoding. These files are typically larger in size than videos in a smaller resolution, which means they require more storage space on servers. In response to Mr. Mosseri’s post, one individual indicated an understanding of the potential benefits of reducing storage costs but argued that these did not outweigh the negatives. They remarked, “From a creator’s perspective, spending time on creating high quality content just for it to be downgraded to low resolution sucks.” In May, Instagram had announced changes to its system for recommending content, particularly video, with the aim to “give all creators a more equal chance of breaking through.” Nevertheless, Mr. Navarra stated his agreement with Mr. Mosseri’s assertion – made when addressing user concerns about the impact on smaller creators – that people will always value a video’s content over its quality. He advised creators to focus on producing engaging content that caters to their audience, rather than being overly concerned by the possibility of its quality being degraded by Instagram. Mr. Mosseri clarified to users on Sunday that Instagram does not make individual decisions to reduce or improve the quality of specific videos. Instead, it operates in an “aggregate” way and on a “sliding scale,” adding that he believed the difference in quality “isn’t huge.” He stated in his initial video response, “The goal is to show people the highest quality content that we can.” The BBC has requested further information from Instagram. The social media platform’s previous attempts to make video a more central part of its app experience have historically resulted in backlash from some users and creators. In 2022, it reversed plans to shift further away from its traditional photo or “grid” post format towards a TikTok-style focus on short-form video content, following criticism from creators and celebrities, including Kylie Jenner.