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Upon launching Instagram on your mobile device, you might come across an engaging video in your feed. However, just as you’re about to watch it, the feed refreshes and the video vanishes.
Instagram explains why some videos appear in lower quality
This scenario could easily be mistaken for a technical glitch, right?
Surprisingly, this was a deliberate action by Instagram. However, due to user frustration, they have now put an end to it.
Instagram Discontinues the “Rug Pull”
In a recent video, Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, addressed a change that many users might not be aware of.
Mosseri explained that Instagram has eliminated what was internally referred to as the “rug pull.” He described this phenomenon as when users open the app and see content that quickly disappears as new posts flood their feed.
Mosseri revealed that this tactic was intentionally implemented by Meta’s platform. The rationale behind it was to display pre-loaded content while new updates were fetched from previous sessions of app usage.
“It generally boosted engagement,” Mosseri noted but also acknowledged its annoyance factor for users.
Consequently, due to user dissatisfaction with this feature, Instagram opted for its removal.
This isn’t an isolated incident within social media applications. Many users have expressed frustration over similar practices in other platforms like Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), where posts in the For You section often disappear shortly after opening the app. Initially perceived as glitches—similar to what many thought occurred with Instagram—it seems some social media companies prioritize engagement metrics over user experience.
Let’s hope such practices are phased out across all social media networks moving forward.
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