Gone was the food porn and glamorous locales, replaced with selfies carrying captions that instructed users to turn on notifications. Instead of shamelessly promoting products, the app’s homegrown stars are currently more worried about their own continued viability on the platform.
The mass Insta-hysteria is attributed to the recent revelation that the app is planning to change its feed from reverse chronological order to an algorithm-based timeline. According to Instagram, the new feed will display the “best” photos and videos first, providing users with content they are more likely to be interested in.
This is naturally a point of concern for Instagram’s most popular users, who are afraid that their posts will go amiss on their followers’ timelines as a result of the changes. Consequently, in fear of the impending update, the app has been flooded with images urging users to enable notifications for their posts.
In reality, no one actually knows exactly when Instagram plans to roll out its feed update. The app hasn’t detailed the changes or announced a launch date for its new algorithm-based timeline. Instagram responded to the posts — many of which are accompanied with hashtags, including #turnmeon and #letsstaytogether — by assuring users that “nothing is changing” with the feed “right now.” It also added that the changes are definitely still on the cards, and that it will let its community know when it decides to “roll out” the update “broadly.”
We're listening and we assure you nothing is changing with your feed right now. We promise to let you know when changes roll out broadly.
— Instagram (@instagram) March 28, 2016
The rather vague sentiment will likely do little to stem the tide of anxiety among the popular app’s user base. In order to further ease tensions, Instagram issued a statement to ABC News, providing a little more detail. “We still have weeks, or even months, of testing to go. Currently the test groups are very small. When we roll it out broadly, we will let the community know,” the spokesperson said.
With at least a few “weeks” before the algorithm is implemented, it seems the Insta-freakout is premature. Nonetheless, it is understandable that people would be apprehensive about a change that could relegate their images of indestructible hairdos and mirror selfies into Instagram oblivion.
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