The Morning After: Instagram will try to penalize 'unoriginal' posts
Instagram is updating its recommendation algorithm to penalize unoriginal photo and carousel posts that are reshared without significant edits, following a similar 2024 change for Reels. The update aims to promote original content, though the definition of a 'material edit' remains unclear. The announcement was made in Engadget's 'The Morning After' newsletter, which also noted upcoming changes due to its transition to Static Media.
- ▪Instagram is modifying its algorithm to reduce the reach of unoriginal photo and carousel posts that lack material edits.
- ▪In 2024, Instagram implemented a similar penalty for Reels that reused content from other accounts.
- ▪The threshold for what constitutes a 'material edit' has not been clearly defined by Meta.
- ▪Engadget is transitioning to Static Media, with upcoming changes to its newsletter and operations.
- ▪The newsletter also covered unrelated tech news, including Samsung's rumored smartglasses and a new Resident Evil film.
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News The Morning After: Instagram will try to penalize 'unoriginal' posts By Mat Smith May 1, 2026 8:02 am EST miss.cabul/Shutterstock Meta is tweaking Instagram's recommendation algorithm to, it hopes, boost "original content" for photo and carousel posts on Instagram. The company tweaked Instagram's algorithm in 2024 to penalize accounts that recycle other accounts' Reels posts, but didn't expand the same protections to photo and carousel posts at the time. (Not that I particularly noticed any difference to the churn on my Reels, personally.) Reshare accounts without "material" edits could see their reach throttled. The question is: where is the line when it comes to a material edit? Also, you might have noticed a few changes as Engadget moves to its new home at Static Media.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Engadget - Technology News & Expert Reviews.
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