Instagram recommendation algorithm will penalize 'unoriginal' photos and carousel posts

Instagram's recommended algorithm will punish non-original photographs and rebroadcasting posts.

Meta. Instagram ' s recommended algorithms were again improved to increase original content and punish the misappropriation of accounts. The company is in the process of updating its guidelines, giving priority to the “original content” of photographs on the Instagram and of the flyer.

With this change, accounts that transmit photographs or rebroadcast without “materials” editing may find their coverage restricted. Meta explains in a blog post that: “If your account mainly publishes non-original scrolls, photographs or recasts, you do not create or edit them in a substantive manner, then your account may not appear in a recommendation to a new audience.”

These changes were the latest attempts by Meta to address the “polymer” accounts and other accounts that primarily publish content initially shared by others. The company adjusted the Instagram algorithm in 2024 to penalize the recovery of the accounts of other accounts Reels posts, but did not extend the same scope of protection to photographs and rebroadcasts. Meta also hit the same strategy on Facebook, trying to encourage higher quality content.

At the same time, Meta notes that these new guidelines “are particularly complex for the frequent use of content created by others to add to the Instagram model of cultural dialogue, fans and other comment accounts”. For these accounts, the company advised people to ensure that they “create original content” by adding unique editing, by-word or graphics. Meta notes that “saving editors” (e.g. watermarks or the originaler's signature) are not sufficient to meet the criteria considered “original”.

These changes can pose problems for the Momentus Account and others who regularly share content similar to that of others. Meta does not explain how it will explain which account is the “original” creator of a widely shared post. This may be particularly difficult for common memorants (e.g. screenshots of many years old posts on X or Tumblr). The company indicated that the creators could use the Instagram account status function to check whether their influence was restricted and could appeal if they believed the company had made a mistake.