Instagram to change algorithm after accused of censoring pro-Palestinian content

Instagram pro will change its algorithms after some of its employees complained that the platform did not display pro-Palestinian content during the Gaza conflict, The Verge reported. The company said it would now attach equal importance to the original content and relocated content, the report added.

Insta pro said its users had shown more interest in their friends' original content than in shared content. That's why it changed the algorithms to promote original content.

"But there's been an increase— not just now but in the past as well — in how many people are resharing posts, and we've seen a bigger impact than expected on the reach of these posts," a Facebook spokesperson said. "Stories that reshare feed posts aren't getting the reach people to expect them to, and that's not a good experience."

However, the FT report noted that employees did not think the company was deliberately removing such content, but some were concerned that "large-scale moderating is biased against marginalized groups."

It is not the first time social media companies have faced criticism for the targeted removal of content. For example, Twitter recently restricted the account of a Palestinian writer. Later, the company said it was due to a "mistake." On Instagram, some users complained that they could not post content related to Palestine. Instagram boss Adam Mosseri later clarified that it was due to a technical error.