Technology · 11 September 2026
Turning off Instagram's algorithm makes feed boring and empty
Unsplash / Adem AY
A writer tried switching off their Instagram algorithm for 24 hours after Australia announced reforms to let users opt out. They found their feed, limited to accounts they followed in chronological order, ran out of content in about 10 minutes. The experience felt hollow and impersonal, mostly showing self-promotion, leading them to consider quitting social media entirely.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs