European Instagram and Facebook users can view the content of their accounts in chronological order

Instagram and Facebook users in Europe will be able to view the networks’ content in chronological order, bypassing the platforms’ custom algorithms.

Meta, the giant parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, has made these changes to comply with the European Union’s Digital Services Law (DSA), a regulation due to come into effect at the end of this month that will affect are in the way technology companies moderate content on their platforms. That was announced on Tuesday

According to the statement from Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, European users will be able to access features such as Reels (short videos), stories, and the search engine on Facebook and Instagram without seeing the content ranked based on Meta’s recommendation algorithms.

“On Facebook and Instagram, for example, users have the option to see only Stories and Reels of the people they follow, arranged in chronological order, newest to oldest. They will also be able to see search results based only on the words they enter, rather than tailoring it specifically for them based on their previous activities and personal interests,” notes Clegg.

According to Clegg, these changes are part of a series of projects Meta is undertaking to comply with the DSA. The company has 1,000 employees who must ensure that they comply with the new rules.

The president of Global Affairs also noted that the company is providing more transparency about the advertising on its platforms and its recommendation algorithms and has set new boundaries on how advertisers can target teens.

For its part, TikTok, one of the social network’s main competitors, announced a similar change to its services in Europe earlier this month.

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