Changes to Political Content on Instagram and Threads: What You Need to Know
Are you a fan of your Instagram algorithm but frustrated with its absence of political content from users you don’t follow? Good news is on the horizon, as starting this week in the United States—and next week globally—Meta will introduce political posts into your recommendation feeds on Instagram and Threads by default.
If you’re wondering, “Didn’t Instagram turn away from this approach just last year?” you’re absolutely correct. In February 2024, the platform announced that it would intentionally refrain from suggesting political content from accounts users hadn’t followed. This way, users could browse the app without being bombarded by political posts unless they expressly sought them out.
However, circumstances have changed since February 2024. As we enter January 2025, the landscape for Instagram, Meta, and the U.S. political climate has shifted dramatically. Mark Zuckerberg is significantly adjusting the policies governing what users can express on Meta’s platforms. In response, Instagram (along with Threads) is also adapting. Adam Mosseri, the leader of Instagram, took to Threads to announce these updates, explaining that while he doesn’t believe in exposing users to political content from unfamiliar accounts, many have expressed a desire for such posts.
View on Threads
It appears that my Instagram settings have adjusted already, while my Threads preferences have yet to catch up (which is likely to change soon). Without any action, users may find themselves increasingly exposed to political content, which could provoke feelings of anger, anxiety, or frustration. Fortunately, there are ways to manage this influx of political posts.
How to Limit Political Content on Instagram and Threads
Let’s start with Instagram: Open your profile and select the menu icon located in the upper right corner. Scroll down to “What you see,” then select “Suggested content.” Here, tap on “Political content,” where you’ll find three available options: Standard, which is the default option displaying a limited amount of political content; See more, which provides an increase in political content if that’s your preference; and See less, which is the option to choose if you’d like to minimize political posts. Instagram confirms that selecting “See less” will limit your exposure to political content that the algorithm recognizes.
If you still encounter political posts, backtrack to the menu and enable the toggle for Snooze suggested posts in feed. This feature will remove those types of posts from your feed for a period of 30 days. While it may not be a permanent solution, it grants a temporary reprieve.
The settings for Threads should be similarly structured, although navigating to them is slightly different. Once again, access your profile and choose the menu icon. This time, select “Account,” followed by “Political content.” Currently, the option Suggest political content is still disabled by default.
