Instagram’s video quality depends heavily on a video’s view count — a policy that favours high-performing content over video clarity or all users. The approach, intended to show users the “highest-quality content,” dedicates more resources to popular videos, leaving less-watched clips with less sophisticated video processing.
In a recent video AMA on Threads, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri noted that Instagram allocates more advanced encoding resources to videos with high viewership. He confirmed that videos from creators with higher engagement metrics receive the most robust processing, reports The Verge.
He was addressing a query on Threads on why some videos look crisp while others appear blurry.
“It works at an aggregate level, not an individual viewer level. We bias to higher quality (more CPU-intensive encoding and more expensive storage for bigger files_ for creators who drive more views. It’s not binary threshold, but rather a sliding scale,” Mosseri clarified.
Though Instagram’s policy may disadvantage smaller creators or casual users whose videos receive fewer views, Mosseri emphasised that video content generally outweighs visual quality in driving user interaction. he acknowledged user concerns about equity for smaller accounts but argued that people engage with videos primarily based on substance rather than visual polish.
This approach isn’t entirely new for Meta, which has projected challenges in managing its vast video content inventory. In 2021, the company highlighted that most users upload videos, and it faces growing computational demands to process them.
Meta outlined that initially, videos get basic processing. However, once a video accumulates significant watch time, Meta upgrades it to higher-quality encoding. This tiered approach allows Meta to reserve its most advanced, resource-intensive encoding for a select group of top-performing content.
While the tiered video processing model might enhance viewer experience by delivering high-quality content, it can be a challenge for smaller creators to gain visibility on a platform where video quality may lag until viewership reaches a critical mass.
In the News: Banks and regulators raise alarm on QR code scams in emails
