- Instagram will now add suggested posts to the end of your feed.
- Some of them will include ads.
- The move contradicts efforts to protect the mental health of users.
Like it or not, you’re about to see some unfamiliar names in your Instagram feed if you’re a frequent user.
The Verge reports Instagram is launching “suggested posts� that will appear when you’ve finished reading recent posts from those you follow. They’ll be related to what you normally see and won’t include IGTV or Reels posts, but will come from accounts you don’t follow and will sometimes include ads.
The company’s Julian Gutman described the suggestions as a way to “go deeper on your interest� and bring a level of “personalized relevance.� You may find a person or subject you hadn’t considered before, in other words.
It’s not a surprising move for Instagram. This not only gives it a chance to show more ads, but helps it compete with TikTok and other social media services that rely on a never-ending stream of material. The company already had the Explore tab, but that’s been a strictly voluntary discovery feature.
However, it might not be entirely great for users. While you’ll still see the end-of-feed message, there’s not nothing to stop you from continuing to scroll down. That seemingly goes against co-founder and former chief exec Kevin Systrom’s efforts to protect the digital wellbeing of users by cutting off the feed at a specific point.
Gutman told The Verge the suggestions weren’t meant to keep you on your phone. However, you’ll need a certain amount of self-restraint you didn’t before. If Facebook reports that Instagram users are spending more time browsing photos and videos, you’ll know why.