#140

Instagram Knew It Was Harming People and Kept the Algorithm Running

Instagram Knew It Was Harming People and Kept the Algorithm Running artwork

Brand Retro · Ep. 140

Instagram Knew It Was Harming People and Kept the Algorithm Running

14:57

Instagram’s own internal research showed its algorithm was damaging teenage girls, and Meta kept it running because the engagement was worth the ad revenue. In this Brand Retro episode, Mike Brevik breaks down what more than 40 state lawsuits against Meta and a quiet YouTube view-count rewrite reveal about the platforms every brand is building on, then flips the story with two campaigns, Spotify’s hyperlocal billboards and Heinz’s bride bib, that won by listening instead of chasing the algorithm.

About this episode

Instagram’s own internal research linked its algorithm to anxiety, depression, and body image harm in teenage girls, and Meta kept it running anyway because longer sessions meant more ad revenue. More than 40 US state attorneys general are now suing, and YouTube has quietly rewritten how it counts Shorts views just to keep up with TikTok. Mike Brevik breaks down what both moves reveal about the platforms every brand is building on. Then Mike shifts to two campaigns that won without leaning on any algorithm: Spotify’s hyperlocal playlist billboards and Heinz’s bride bib. He closes with four moves any brand can make this week to build something no platform can take away.

Key takeaways

  • Meta is facing lawsuits from more than 40 US states after internal research showed Instagram’s algorithm was linked to anxiety, depression, and body image harm in teen girls, and the company kept it running anyway.
  • YouTube quietly rewrote how it counts Shorts views to stay competitive with TikTok, a reminder that platform metrics are defined by whoever owns the platform, not by an objective standard.
  • The brands in the strongest long-term position are not the biggest spenders. They are the ones who own their audience through email and SMS and are not entirely dependent on an algorithm to reach people.
  • Spotify’s hyperlocal billboard campaign and Heinz’s bride bib prove the same lesson: listening to what an audience is already doing and saying beats guessing at what they might respond to.
  • Build through platforms, not on them. Use algorithm-driven reach while it’s available, but never treat it as the foundation.