The Hidden Instagram Setting You Might Want To Change ASAP
Last July, Instagram quietly introduced a new content filter called Sensitive Content Control. The setting’s stated purpose is to give users “control over sensitive content”, particularly on your explore feed. With increasing pressure on Meta (formerly Facebook) to control explicit, offensive, or misleading material on their platforms, Instagram introduced this new tool to suppress content and accounts it deems violates their recommendation guidelines.
Different from community guidelines violations, content and accounts that violate the recommendation guidelines are not removed but hidden from explore page, hashtags, and suggested posts on the main feed (content that violates the community guidelines will still be removed as usual). Also differently, you will not be informed by Instagram if your account or content is in violation of the recommendation guidelines.
Why Are People Upset?
Many users are pointing out that the setting is undifferentiating between truly objectionable content and content that does not violate the recommendation or community guidelines. Aside from Instagram’s history of questionable rule enforcement, this has a lot to do with Instagram’s algorithm not being great at parsing out what is educational, artistic and what is not. Users also point out that when the tool was released, the default setting is set at “limit”––which filters “sensitive” content and accounts. This may result in users unknowingly having their feeds filtered as well as their content potentially suppressed from the explore page, hashtags, or other users on Instagram who have the default setting on.
For content creators creating content in fields of interest that don’t violate the Community Guidelines, who may be depending on Instagram to grow and monetize their brands, this setting can hurt their chances of having their work seen by people who don’t follow them and thus growing their account. For non-creators, this setting may make it harder to see content that may actually fit their interests.
How Do You Change Your Sensitive Content Control Setting?
For those who want to change this setting, follow these steps:
First, on your profile page, click on the three horizontal bars in the upper-righthand corner.
Next, select "settings" then click on "account."
Finally, scroll down to the label "sensitive content control." You'll next be presented a page with three prompts, "allow," "limit (default)," and "limit even more." Upon selecting "allow," you will be asked, "allow sensitive content?" to which you can press "ok."
The "allow" option, however, will not be available to people under the age of 18, according to Facebook. If you change your mind about removing the sensitive content control, you can always go back to your settings and choose it again.
