Instagram boss says users will be ‘overwhelmed’ with brand content in algorithm-free world
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has pushed back on the idea of algorithm-free social media, arguing users would see more brand content and engage less without algorithmic curation. His comments follow an Australian government announcement giving users the option to opt out of recommendation algorithms.
Why this matters: Mosseri's argument is worth taking apart. He is saying the algorithm protects you from brands, which is a strange pitch from a company that sells advertising. The Australian opt-out plan puts users in control of a system that currently runs on their data without much transparency. His own words — that it 'feels like a black box' — are the problem. If the people running the algorithm admit you cannot see how it works, that is a decent reason to let people choose something different. More engagement is good for Instagram. That is not the same as good for you.
Who should care: AI governance · Lawyers · Administrators · General readers · Policy · Privacy officers
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