Instagram has announced a new policy aimed at optimizing resource management by lowering the quality of certain videos that receive less engagement. Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram, shared this update in response to user questions on the “Threads” platform.
Quality Management Based on Engagement
Mosseri clarified that while Instagram aims to showcase videos in high quality, those that fail to attract a significant number of views within a certain timeframe will see a reduction in quality. He pointed out that most views typically happen shortly after a video is posted, making this quality adjustment a sensible strategy for managing resources. If a video starts to gain traction and more views, its quality will be restored.
Prioritizing High-Engagement Content
The goal of this policy is to improve the viewing experience for videos that generate considerable user engagement. Mosseri emphasized that Instagram allocates additional resources to content from popular creators, ensuring that the most-watched videos are displayed in superior quality.
Impact on Smaller Content Creators
Addressing concerns from users about how this policy might affect smaller content creators, Mosseri reassured them that the quality difference between videos is minimal. He stressed that it is the content itself, rather than its visual quality, that primarily drives audience engagement.
Aligning with Meta’s Broader Policies
This initiative is in line with the policies of Meta, Instagram’s parent company, which noted in 2021 that the increase in video uploads could challenge its ability to maintain consistent quality across all videos. According to previous statements, Meta initially encodes new videos quickly and simply, later enhancing the quality for those that achieve enough viewership, and eventually applying advanced encoding for the most popular content.
Conclusion
This policy reflects Instagram and Meta’s commitment to improving user experience and managing resources efficiently, ensuring that high-quality content—especially videos with significant viewership and engagement—is prominently displayed.
