Why Instagram lowers quality for less popular videos
Adam Mosseri, the Meta executive overseeing Instagram, has revealed that the platform tweaks video quality according to its popularity. Mosseri said that videos that draw more views are shown in better quality than those with less. He shared the information in a discussion with The Verge, adding that Instagram wants to show "the highest-quality video that we can."
A focus on initial viewership
As per Mosseri, if a video does not get enough views over time, the platform lowers its quality. This is because most views happen shortly after posting the clip, he noted. The revelation triggered a flurry of questions and criticisms from users, which is why Mosseri had to clarify it further.
Instagram's video quality adjustment: An aggregate-level decision
Mosseri claimed that these decisions are made at an "aggregate level, not an individual level." Meaning, the viewing habits of a single user don't affect the quality of videos they see. He added, "We bias to higher quality (more CPU intensive encoding and more expensive storage for bigger files) for creators who drive more views." Mosseri stressed "this isn't a binary threshold but a sliding scale."
Concerns over favoritism toward popular creators
Several users also raised concerns that Instagram's approach could favor popular creators over less-known ones. They argued that high-quality videos could further boost the popularity of already well-known creators, making it difficult for smaller ones to gain traction. Mosseri acknowledged these concerns as "the right concern," but argued that in practice, it doesn't seem to matter much because the quality shift isn't significant and viewer interaction depends more on content than quality.
