Instagram Is Intentionally Downgrading “Boring” Videos – Find Out Why!

Instagram has admitted that it is prioritizing higher video quality for more popular content while lowering quality for less popular videos, sparking controversy among creators concerned about the visibility of smaller accounts.

Video quality on Instagram: Adjusted based on popularity

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, has confirmed the practice of adjusting video quality based on content popularity. Simply put, the most viewed videos will receive a higher resolution, while those with less engagement will appear in lower quality. This strategy helps Instagram reduce processing and storage costsespecially for videos that don't generate much engagement. However, Mosseri also pointed out that the visual quality of a video could be improved as it gains popularity, which would provide users with a more enjoyable experience.

Creators React: Between Frustration and Concern

The response from content creators was immediate. Many are concerned about this approach, seeing it as a disadvantage for those struggling to reach a wider audience. Social media expert Matt Navarra believes this policy could exacerbate challenges for new creators trying to establish themselves on the platform. From the user's perspective, a vicious circle is criticized: Only content that is already popular benefits from higher qualitywhich increases its attractiveness and thus its visibility. Some YouTubers even argue that the reduced resolution hurts their professional image, as visual quality is a crucial element of their presence on Instagram.

A decision driven by cost and resource management

The main goal of this policy is clear: to control Instagram's operating costs. Broadcasting in high definition requires more processing and storage resources, costs that Meta appears to be consciously trying to minimize. The platform has stated that this approach allows them to focus their technical efforts on the most popular content and reduce spending on videos that generate less engagement. This method, similar to a practice already discussed in 2021, is based on initially limited coding for new videos, which is adjusted as their popularity increases.

Towards fairer policies for all creators?

Despite the justifications put forward, Instagram tries to reassure by emphasizing that this reduction in quality applies to all videos, which are based on “popularity aggregation” and do not target each individual video. According to Mosseri, regardless of visual quality, content remains the most important factor in generating engagement. Still, the damage is done, and critics believe the practice could undermine Instagram's efforts to help new creators stand out from the crowd.

Do you think Instagram is right to downgrade the quality of videos from less influential creators? Wasn't there a less controversial way to save money, like slightly reducing quality for everyone and not just smaller accounts?