Instagram Debuts More ‘Original Content’ Protections for Creators

Photo Credit: Alexander Shatov

Instagram announces that accounts regularly reposting content they didn’t create will no longer be eligible for recommendations across the platform.

On Thursday, Instagram announced some changes to ensure creators on the platform get the credit and distribution they deserve. Accounts that regularly repost content they didn’t create, or primarily share other people’s work in photos and carousels, will no longer be eligible for recommendations.

While these protections were already in place for Reels, they are now being rolled out across photos and carousels. The update is designed to target content aggregators that don’t post original content and primarily re-upload others’ posts and content. By limiting the reach of such accounts, Instagram is aiming to boost originality on its platform by preventing the same posts from being circulated repeatedly from different accounts.

Notably, Instagram considers content that someone “materially edited” as original content. That means that third-party content, like meme templates or popular clips, can still be reposted as long as users edit it by adding an element that “enhances the content,” according to Instagram.

“For example, an original meme transforms another creator’s photo or video,” said Instagram in the company’s blog post. “When meme creators add humor, social commentary, cultural references, or a relatable take by incorporating elements such as unique text, creative edits, and voiceover on a photo or video, they’re producing something original. The best meme creators take third-party content and make it unmistakably theirs by layering in a perspective, joke, or context that wasn’t there before. This is the kind of creativity we want to continue rewarding.”

Simple “low-effort” edits, like changing the speed of a video, adding a watermark, or uploading a screenshot of another user’s post—even if their username is visible to denote credit—do not count.

For users who follow aggregator accounts, this change won’t affect how Instagram shows them content from those accounts. It just means that this content won’t appear in recommendations across the app, including the “Discover” tab.