Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, claims that disabling the platform's recommendation algorithm would slash engagement and time spent on the app by as much as 50%. Speaking in Australia, Mosseri argued that a chronological feed would quickly become dominated by corporate content, causing users to miss posts from friends and connections.
The statement comes as Australia pushes forward with the Digital Duty of Care legislation, which would require social platforms to offer users an option to disable algorithmic recommendations. Mosseri's warning underscores the tension between user choice and platform business models—regulators want transparency and control; platforms argue that algorithms drive the user experience people actually want.