Instagram degrades quality of unpopular videos on the platform

Instagram recently announced changes in video quality on the platform, noting a reduction in resolution for older and less popular videos. Adam Mosseri, head of the Meta-owned platform, said Sunday, “We tend to prefer higher quality for creators who attract more views.”

Mosseri explained that most video views happen soon after posting. As such, videos that receive fewer views over time may be shown in lower quality. However, if a video later gains popularity, its quality will be adjusted accordingly.

This announcement has raised concerns among creators who fear the policy could limit their audience reach. “It’s wrong to change someone’s video quality based on its performance,” one creator commented, arguing the policy leaves creators feeling betrayed by a platform reliant on views and metrics, which alters the video’s quality from the original.

Social media users, consultants criticize Instagram's decision 

Social media consultant Matt Navarra also voiced criticism, saying the move conflicts with Instagram’s previous efforts to encourage new creators. “How can new creators gain popularity if their content is penalized for not being popular enough?” he asked. According to Navarra, the policy risks creating a cycle where established creators enjoy higher engagement levels while new creators may struggle to build an audience.

High-quality videos and those with detailed visuals require significant processing power and storage on the company’s servers, leading to greater expenses for Instagram. While some commenters acknowledged the benefit of reducing storage costs, others, including one user on Mosseri’s post, said it was frustrating to invest in quality content only for Instagram to downgrade it.

In May, Instagram announced adjustments to its recommendation system aimed at giving all creators a fair opportunity to reach viewers. Mosseri clarified that Instagram’s approach to video quality is not handled individually but applied broadly according to a “variable metric.” He added that the changes in quality are “not significant.”