Hundreds of content creators signed an open letter requesting that Instagram, Threads, and Facebook should make the political content limit an opt-in feature, instead of default.
The creators were assembled by GLAAD and Accountable Tech who addressed the letter to Instagram head Adam Mosseri.
Content Creators Seek Freedom of Choice for Limiting Political Content on Meta Platforms
In the open letter, the creators expressed their disappointment and concern with Meta's recent decision to limit the reach of political content on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook. The content limitation was implemented as a default feature for users rather than voluntary.
Last month, Meta announced that it is extending its approach to political content by disabling recommendations of content on politics across its platforms. The company also explained that users will have control if they still want to see such posts.
"Rather than unilaterally changing the default settings of accounts to limit political content without transparency to users across platforms, Meta should instead empower users to opt-out of seeing suggested political content," the letter read.
Popular public figures and creators have joined the petition and signed the open letter. This includes comedian Alok Vaid-Menon, "Glee" actor Kevin McHale, and others.
Meta Limits Political Content Ahead of 2024 Election
In a blog post, Meta explained that the recommendation updates apply to public accounts and in places where content is often recommended. This means that political content is now limited across Explore, Reels, In-Feed Recommendations, and Suggested Users.
"If political content - potentially related to things like laws, elections, or social topics - is posted by an account that is not eligible to be recommended, that account's content can still reach their followers in Feed and Stories," Meta added.
However, the creators argued that around 16% of American adults rely on Meta platforms for news. Hence, the creators are seeking a fair way to still reach their audience across platforms in the same algorithm used by individuals in non-political spaces.
