Meta’s Political Content Filter Malfunction Causes Chaos on Threads, Instagram

Sophia Rodriguez

Meta is under fire (again) for limiting political content on Threads and Instagram despite users opting in to see such content. An error caused the setting to revert to the “limit” setting each time the app closed.

What’s Happening & Why This Matters

Earlier this year, Meta made the [controversial] decision to automatically limit political content from users’ recommendations in Threads and Instagram by default. The company said that it didn’t want to “proactively amplify” political posts and that users could opt-in via their Instagram settings if they did want to see such content. However, Meta continued to limit political content even for users who had opted in to seeing it. According to Meta, this content is likely to mention governments, elections, or social topics that affect a group of people and/or society at large.

TF Summary: What’s Next

Meta’s plan  to limit political content and the subsequent error preventing users from seeing calls into question the company’s content moderation tactics. The impact of this decision, and its execution, on users and the discussion about the platform’s political content may lead to future modifications in how Meta approaches such sensitive topics.

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By Sophia Rodriguez “TF Eco-Tech”
Background:
Sophia Rodriguez is the eco-tech enthusiast of the group. With her academic background in Environmental Science, coupled with a career pivot into sustainable technology, Sophia has dedicated her life to advocating for and reviewing green tech solutions. She is passionate about how technology can be leveraged to create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world and often speaks at conferences and panels on this topic.
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