Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has pushed back against Australia’s proposed social media rules that could let users turn off recommendation algorithms. He says a purely chronological Instagram feed may become crowded with posts from brands, companies, and publishers, but many users still believe they should have the right to choose how their feed works.
Australia’s proposal does not aim to remove algorithms completely. Instead, it would give people a clear choice: use a personalised feed powered by recommendations or switch to a chronological feed that only shows posts from accounts they follow. The debate matters because algorithms shape what billions of people see online every day.
Australia Wants Users to Control Their Social Media Feed
Australia is considering a new Digital Duty of Care framework that would require major social media platforms to give users more control over their feeds. The proposal is often linked with the “My Feed, My Way” plan.
If the rules become law, platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, and others may need to clearly offer users a choice between two main feed types:
An algorithmic feed that recommends posts based on interests, activity, and viewing habits
A chronological following feed that shows posts from accounts a user already follows, with the newest posts first
The key point is that people would not lose access to personalised recommendations. They would simply be able to switch them off if they want a quieter feed that focuses only on their own chosen accounts.
The draft proposal is part of a wider effort to make online services take more responsibility for harmful content, addictive design features, and risks faced by young users. Platforms that do not meet the proposed duties could face major penalties.
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri is pushing back against Australia’s proposed social-media rules that would let users turn off algorithmic feeds.
Australia wants platforms to offer users a choice between the current algorithm or a chronological feed of accounts they follow.
His main concern is simple: companies, brands, publishers, and large creators often post far more often than ordinary people. A chronological feed shows content based on posting time, not relevance. That means accounts that publish many times per day could fill a user’s feed quickly.
For example, imagine an Instagram user follows:
Ten friends who post once or twice each week
Several Roblox game developers posting update teasers
Gaming news pages
Clothing brands
Food delivery companies
Sports pages
Meme accounts
Influencers who post many Reels every day
In a chronological feed, the latest high-volume accounts may take up most of the visible space. A photo from a close friend could disappear under many newer posts from brands and publishers.
Mosseri believes this can make users feel overwhelmed. He has argued that a recommendation system can help surface the posts people care about most instead of simply rewarding whoever posted most recently.
Why Instagram Uses Algorithms
Instagram does not have one simple algorithm. It uses ranking and recommendation systems to decide which posts, Stories, Reels, and suggested accounts may be most relevant to each person.
These systems look at signals such as:
Accounts a user follows or messages often
Posts a user likes, saves, shares, or comments on
Reels and videos a user watches for longer
Topics a user often engages with
The popularity and recent activity around a post
Accounts or content a user chooses to hide, mute, or skip
The aim is to help users find posts they may enjoy, even from people they do not follow.
For gaming fans, this can be useful. Someone who watches Roblox videos, follows Blox Fruits creators, saves Roblox code posts, and likes update news may see more related Reels and posts. This can help them discover a new game update, limited event, code, or creator without having to follow every account individually.
That discovery feature is one of the biggest reasons platforms prefer personalised feeds. A following-only chronological feed is better for checking chosen accounts, but it is weaker at helping users find something new.
Mosseri Admits Instagram’s Algorithm Is Not Perfect
Mosseri’s comments are important because he did not claim Instagram’s system always gets it right. He admitted that recommendation systems can make mistakes and can feel confusing to users.
Many people call social media algorithms a “black box” because they do not always understand why a certain post appears in their feed. A user may wonder why Instagram is repeatedly showing them a topic they watched once, a creator they never followed, or a video that does not match their interests.
The problem is that algorithms often focus heavily on things they can measure easily. These include views, watch time, likes, comments, shares, and clicks.
However, not everything valuable is easy to measure.
A post could be helpful, meaningful, educational, or enjoyable without making someone like, comment, or share it. For example, a short Roblox guide that helps a player understand a difficult quest may be valuable even if it gets fewer likes than a funny meme. A friend’s update may also matter more personally than a viral Reel from a popular brand.
This is where users can become frustrated. An algorithm may be excellent at keeping people scrolling, but that does not always mean it is showing them what they truly value.
Why Users Should Have Both Options
The strongest solution is not “algorithms are bad” or “chronological feeds are bad.” Both feed types serve different purposes.
Feed type
Best for
Possible drawback
Algorithmic feed
Discovering new creators, trends, videos, games, and topics
Can feel addictive, confusing, repetitive, or overly commercial
Chronological following feed
Checking friends, favourite creators, developers, and trusted pages
High-volume accounts may push other posts down quickly
Hybrid feed with controls
Keeping discovery while allowing users to tune recommendations
Requires platforms to make controls clear and easy to use
A user should be able to open Instagram and choose what they want at that moment.
Someone may want an algorithmic feed when they are looking for entertainment, new Roblox game ideas, fashion content, sports clips, travel videos, or creator recommendations.
But the same person may want to switch to a following-only feed when they want to catch up with friends, see announcements from a favourite game developer, or avoid unrelated suggestions.
Giving people this choice does not destroy the value of algorithms. It simply gives users more power over how they use social media.
Instagram Already Has a Following Feed
Instagram already offers a Following feed that shows posts from followed accounts in chronological order. However, it is not the main default experience for most users.
The feature is also less visible than the regular Home feed, and Instagram often returns users to its standard algorithmic feed after they leave or reopen the app. This makes the option harder to use as a long-term preference.
Australia’s proposed rules could change that approach. Platforms may have to make the choice clearer for both new and existing users instead of placing it inside a less noticeable menu.
For users, the important question is not whether every person should turn off the algorithm. The important question is whether they should be allowed to do so easily.
What This Could Mean for Creators and Brands
Australia’s proposed rules could also affect creators, publishers, gaming pages, and brands.
A chronological feed may make posting frequency more important. Accounts that post many times could appear more often simply because they are newer. But it may also help smaller creators reach their direct followers without competing against large recommended posts.
An algorithmic feed can give smaller accounts a chance to reach people who do not follow them yet. This is especially valuable for gaming creators who make useful content around Roblox updates, game guides, codes, tips, challenges, and events.
For publishers and content creators, the smart approach is not to rely on one feed style:
Build a loyal follower base, because followers matter in chronological feeds.
Create useful and engaging posts that earn shares, saves, comments, and watch time.
Avoid posting too often without value, because users may mute or unfollow accounts that flood their feed.
Make content easy to understand quickly, especially for Reels and short gaming updates.
Encourage followers to turn on notifications for major updates, codes, and event news.
The Real Issue Is User Choice
Adam Mosseri has a fair point: chronological feeds can become messy, especially when users follow many active brands, creators, and publishers. A good algorithm can save time and help users discover content that fits their interests.
But users also have a fair point. They should not have to depend on a system they cannot fully understand every time they open an app.
A better social media experience would let people choose between discovery and control. They could use Instagram’s recommendations when they want to find new content, then switch to a clean following feed when they only want posts from people and accounts they deliberately chose.
Australia’s proposed algorithm opt-out rules are still under consideration, but they have started an important global discussion. Social media platforms may continue using algorithms, yet users are increasingly asking for a clearer way to decide when those algorithms should be in charge.
