Instagram’s new features suggest accounts users should unfollow or mute

Instagram has made some changes to the following list for users to know whom they interact with the most and least.

Instagram adds new features to the following list. (Pixabay)

Instagram has added some new features to how users view their following list. The new changes are expected to make it easier for users to know what is happening on Instagram with the people they follow. It's also another way of Instagram telling users to de-clutter their following list.

The new Instagram features will be visible on the following list which is available on the user's profile. Here, users will see two categories of accounts they follow on Instagram. One clubs people whom users have "least interacted with" and the other shows accounts "most shown in feed". These two categories essentially shows users accounts they interact with and don't.

Instagram defines 'interacting' as liking posts or reacting to their stories. This list will refresh every ninety days. Similarly, the second list shows accounts of people whose posts appear the most on the user's feed. The new changes reiterate what Instagram says the platform is about - being shown content only from accounts users interact with the most.

 

Want to see which Instagram accounts show up in your feed the most and who you interact with the least? Now you can! Just tap "Following" and manage your list from there. pic.twitter.com/eKFOBCdutr

— Instagram (@instagram) February 6, 2020

This is also how Instagram's algorithm for the feed and Stories works. Posts from accounts users interact with the most will be shown on their Instagram feed. This is also one reason why Instagram said it will not bring back the chronological feed.

"Whether you graduate, move to a new city, or become obsessed with a new interest and find a community, we want to make it easier to manage the accounts you follow on Instagram so that they best represent your current connections and interests," Instagram explained in its release.

Instagram even suggests users can manage the accounts they follow by "changing your follow status" or muting notifications/account. Instagram has also added a new option to sort the following list by either default, latest followed or earliest followed. The new Instagram features does solve some problem of sorting out one's following list but users would probably be happier with one which reveals accounts not following them back.