Meta has successfully resolved a bug that mistakenly led users to believe their political content settings had been altered without their permission. This issue affected users on both Instagram and Threads, causing their content settings to revert to default settings that limit the visibility of political content from accounts they do not follow.
On Wednesday, Meta acknowledged the problem and began working on a solution.
Later that same evening, Meta Communication Director Andy Stone announced on Threads that the issue had been fixed. He clarified that the bug did not actually change users’ political content settings on the backend, but it only appeared to have done so, causing confusion among users.
While Meta did not disclose the origin of the bug, Stone advised users to double-check their settings to ensure they reflect their preferences.
Users can manage their political content settings in Instagram’s Settings under “Content Preferences.” From there, they can decide whether they want to restrict political content from accounts they follow. This setting impacts suggestions in Explore, Reels, Feed Recommendations, Suggested Users, and Threads.
The existence of a political content setting highlights the influence of algorithm-driven social platforms where content is curated based on various factors. Other platforms like Bluesky offer different approaches to content moderation and user control.
Meta’s decision to introduce this feature earlier in the year aims to distance the company from allegations of influencing users through its platforms, particularly in the context of the U.S. elections.
Given Meta’s history of facing criticism from different political perspectives, the company has been scrutinized for its content moderation policies and influence on public discourse.
Fortunately, the bug affecting Instagram and Threads was resolved before the first presidential debate between Trump and Biden, ensuring users can now confidently manage their political content settings.
