--- title: "The Dilemma of Chronological Feeds: Meta's Revelation" description: Chronological feeds, turns out, are NOT popular. Who knew. Learn more here. image: https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20blog%20-%202023-08-18T151919.558%20(1).png --- [Skip to the main content.](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/the-dilemma-of-chronological-feeds-metas-revelation#main-content) [![Untitled design (90)](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(90).png?width=500&height=500&name=Untitled%20design%20(90).png "Untitled design (90)")](http://hireawriter.us) [![Untitled design (90)](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(90).png?width=500&height=500&name=Untitled%20design%20(90).png "Untitled design (90)")](http://hireawriter.us) - [FOR BUSINESSES](https://www.hireawriter.us/for-businesses) - [SEO COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/seo-copywriting) - [SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT](https://www.hireawriter.us/social-media-services) - [WEBSITE COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/website-copywriting) - [LEAD GEN COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/lead-generation-copywriting) - [MARKETING STRATEGY](https://www.hireawriter.us/marketing-strategy) - [FOR AGENCIES](https://www.hireawriter.us/agency-partnership) - [WHITE LABELED COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/white-labeled-copywriting) - [FRACTIONAL SEO LEADERSHIP](https://www.hireawriter.us/fractional-seo-leadership) - [TECHNICAL SEO](https://www.hireawriter.us/technical-seo) - [TRAINING](https://www.hireawriter.us/training) - [ABOUT HAW](https://www.hireawriter.us/about) - [JOBS](https://www.hireawriter.us/hire-a-writer-jobs) - [LEARN](https://www.hireawriter.us/learn) - [LEARN SEO](https://www.hireawriter.us/seo) - [LEARN BUSINESS CONTENT](https://www.hireawriter.us/business) - [LEARN SOCIAL MEDIA](https://www.hireawriter.us/social) - [LEARN STORYTELLING](https://www.hireawriter.us/storytelling) - [LEARN CREATIVE WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative) - [LEARN TECHNICAL WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/technical-content) - [LEARN FREELANCE WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/freelance) - [CONTACT](https://www.hireawriter.us/contact) Search Toggle Menu Search Toggle Menu - [FOR BUSINESSES](https://www.hireawriter.us/for-businesses) - [SEO COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/seo-copywriting) - [SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT](https://www.hireawriter.us/social-media-services) - [WEBSITE COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/website-copywriting) - [LEAD GEN COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/lead-generation-copywriting) - [MARKETING STRATEGY](https://www.hireawriter.us/marketing-strategy) - [FOR AGENCIES](https://www.hireawriter.us/agency-partnership) - [WHITE LABELED COPYWRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/white-labeled-copywriting) - [FRACTIONAL SEO LEADERSHIP](https://www.hireawriter.us/fractional-seo-leadership) - [TECHNICAL SEO](https://www.hireawriter.us/technical-seo) - [TRAINING](https://www.hireawriter.us/training) - [ABOUT HAW](https://www.hireawriter.us/about) - [JOBS](https://www.hireawriter.us/hire-a-writer-jobs) - [LEARN](https://www.hireawriter.us/learn) - [LEARN SEO](https://www.hireawriter.us/seo) - [LEARN BUSINESS CONTENT](https://www.hireawriter.us/business) - [LEARN SOCIAL MEDIA](https://www.hireawriter.us/social) - [LEARN STORYTELLING](https://www.hireawriter.us/storytelling) - [LEARN CREATIVE WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative) - [LEARN TECHNICAL WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/technical-content) - [LEARN FREELANCE WRITING](https://www.hireawriter.us/freelance) - [CONTACT](https://www.hireawriter.us/contact) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Hireawriteronline) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/joywriteryouell/) [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/hireawriter/) [X](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/the-dilemma-of-chronological-feeds-metas-revelation#0) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8sZOTANgCCjtn29m4J0Z6A) [Medium](https://medium.com/hireawriter) [Tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@joyyouell) [Pinterest](https://www.pinterest.com/joyfromhireawriter/) 2 min read # The Dilemma of Chronological Feeds: Meta's Revelation [![Picture of Writing Team](https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square-3.png) Writing Team](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/author/writing-team) : Aug 18, 2023, 3:20:13 PM [Social Media](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/social-media) [Instagram](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/instagram) [Meta](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/meta) [Facebook](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/facebook) ![The Dilemma of Chronological Feeds: Meta's Revelation](https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20blog%20-%202023-08-18T151919.558%20(1).png) The colossal Meta-backed scientific endeavor aimed at studying the impact of Facebook and Instagram on people's political attitudes during the 2020 US presidential campaign. Beyond its primary objective, this experiment has unexpectedly shed light on users' distaste for chronological feeds. Let's dive into this intriguing revelation. ## The Back-and-Forth of Chronological Feeds Instagram scrapped its [chronological option in 2016](https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-social-media-switch-feed-chronological-timeline-2021-11), resulting in significant backlash from users. However, it made a return last year, following suit with [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Hireawriteronline/). Some individuals opt for the chronological choice to stay current with live events, whereas policymakers view it as an antidote to enigmatic ranking algorithms that might ensnare users in information bubbles or expose them to harmful content. ## Unveiling the New Findings The new findings unveiled this week are part of an extensive Meta project, including 17 distinct studies, four of which have been published in peer-reviewed research papers. These recent discoveries about chronological feeds stemmed from a specific study centered on feed effects, published in the Science journal. ### Impact on Political Attitudes The randomized, controlled study aimed to ascertain whether the machine-learning technology steering users' feeds influences their political inclinations. The algorithms guiding platforms like Facebook and others often emphasize content similar to users' previous engagements, fostering like-mindedness and potentially deepening their existing political beliefs. These algorithms also spotlight events and news, encouraging political participation. [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/24409333/d7013297-cb86-4516-a8f2-eea7531b6fb7.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/24409333/d7013297-cb86-4516-a8f2-eea7531b6fb7) ### Effect on User Behavior The new study revealed that despite encountering more political and dubious content, users subjected to a reverse chronological feed from September to December 2020 did not experience significant shifts in political knowledge, attitudes, or behavioral patterns like protest participation or voting. ### Time Spent Elsewhere However, a remarkable trend emerged—the users subjected to chronological feeds found themselves spending [less time on Meta apps](https://www.wired.com/story/meta-just-proved-people-hate-chronological-feeds/) and more on alternative platforms. For instance, [Instagram](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/guide-to-instagram-marketing-in-the-meta-era) app users exploring the chronological feed allocated 36% more time to TikTok and 20% more to YouTube, reducing their time on the app by around eight hours over three months. Similarly, Facebook users gravitated towards Reddit.com by 52% and YouTube.com by 21%. These users consumed less content from friends and exhibited a diminished tendency to engage through likes and comments. ### Echoes of Earlier Experiments This phenomenon aligns with the results of an internal 2018 Facebook experiment and a comparable 2014 test. People initially scrolled more fervently in search of stimulating content before concluding that the effort wasn't justified. A similar pattern was noted in an earlier Twitter survey, where a substantial majority couldn't keep up with all new content available through a time-ordered feed, and a majority found most of the content irrelevant. ### The Prevailing Theory The prevalent theory among industry experts is that chronological feeds can become desolate if connections haven't posted recently or are overly active. Instagram justified its switch to an algorithmic feed by asserting that users were missing 70% of new content, striving to prioritize what users cared about the most. ### Balancing User Preferences While pushback exists against prior studies, critics argue that users would appreciate chronological feeds more if provided with tools and time to customize their experience. Additionally, "chronological" doesn't uniformly signify the same across different apps and studies. ### The Current Landscape Presently, Instagram, its Thread app, Facebook, and Twitter all provide options to view posts in order of recency, but it isn't the default experience. TikTok, on the other hand, only employs algorithmic content delivery, a strategy contributing to its remarkable success. ## Reading Between the Lines on Chronological Feeds In light of these findings, the recent addition of a chronological feed to Threads, Meta's Twitter-like platform, could be seen as a response to user demands, although Meta might cautiously monitor user reactions. Time (ha) will tell. [![SOCIAL CTA](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/24409333/d7193949-95d7-4588-8f0b-f5d3a3e25222.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/24409333/d7193949-95d7-4588-8f0b-f5d3a3e25222) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![Meta's Monopoly Moment: Why Zuckerberg's Day in Court Could Reshape Social Media Forever](https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20blog%20-%202025-04-14T161111.923.png)](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/metas-monopoly-moment-why-zuckerbergs-day-in-court-could-reshape-social-media-forever) 1 min read #### [Meta's Monopoly Moment: Why Zuckerberg's Day in Court Could Reshape Social Media Forever](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/metas-monopoly-moment-why-zuckerbergs-day-in-court-could-reshape-social-media-forever) ![Picture of Writing Team](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square-3.png?width=30&name=HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square-3.png) [Writing Team](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/author/writing-team) : Apr 14, 2025, 4:14:17 PM Mark Zuckerberg traded his signature gray t-shirt for a dark suit and light blue tie on Monday, perhaps hoping the formal attire might help Meta's... [Legal](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/legal) [Meta](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/meta) [News](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/news) [Facebook](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/facebook) [Read More](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/metas-monopoly-moment-why-zuckerbergs-day-in-court-could-reshape-social-media-forever) [![Meta Provides Guidance for Advertisers Based on Latest Engagement Trends](https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20blog%20-%202025-05-08T130936.280.png)](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/meta-provides-guidance-for-advertisers-based-on-latest-engagement-trends) 5 min read #### [Meta Provides Guidance for Advertisers Based on Latest Engagement Trends](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/meta-provides-guidance-for-advertisers-based-on-latest-engagement-trends) ![Picture of Writing Team](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square-3.png?width=30&name=HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square-3.png) [Writing Team](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/author/writing-team) : May 8, 2025, 1:14:45 PM If you want to know where to focus your social media marketing efforts, sometimes it pays to listen to the platform itself. After all, Meta has a... [Ads](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/ads) [Instagram](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/instagram) [Trends](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/trends) [Meta](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/meta) [Threads](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/threads) [Read More](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/meta-provides-guidance-for-advertisers-based-on-latest-engagement-trends) [![Guide to Instagram Marketing in the Meta Era](https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20blog%20-%202023-08-16T155719.135%20(1).png)](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/guide-to-instagram-marketing-in-the-meta-era) 1 min read #### [Guide to Instagram Marketing in the Meta Era](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/guide-to-instagram-marketing-in-the-meta-era) ![Picture of Writing Team](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square-3.png?width=30&name=HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square-3.png) [Writing Team](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/author/writing-team) : Aug 16, 2023, 3:57:40 PM With Instagram now under the Meta umbrella, the platform continues to evolve as a powerful marketing tool. Mastering Instagram marketing requires a... [Business](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/business) [Social Media](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/social-media) [Content Strategy](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/content-strategy) [Instagram](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/tag/instagram) [Read More](https://www.hireawriter.us/social/guide-to-instagram-marketing-in-the-meta-era) HIRE US HIRE US - [MARKETING SERVICES](https://www.hireawriter.us/marketing-content) - [SEO SERVICES](https://www.hireawriter.us/seo-services) - [FOR YOUR AGENCY](https://www.hireawriter.us/agency-partnership) - [COACHING](https://www.hireawriter.us/coaching) ABOUT HIRE A WRITER (HAW) ABOUT HIRE A WRITER (HAW) - [ABOUT](https://www.hireawriter.us/about) - [CONTACT](https://www.hireawriter.us/contact) - [JOBS](https://www.hireawriter.us/hire-a-writer-jobs) LEARN LEARN - [BUSINESS CONTENT](https://www.hireawriter.us/business) - [SEO STRATEGY BLOG](https://www.hireawriter.us/seo) - [SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING BLOG](https://www.hireawriter.us/social) - [STORYTELLING BLOG](https://www.hireawriter.us/storytelling) - [CREATIVE WRITING BLOG](https://www.hireawriter.us/creative) - [FREELANCE WRITING BLOG](https://www.hireawriter.us/freelance) - [TECHNICAL WRITING BLOG](https://www.hireawriter.us/technical-content) HOUSE OF BRANDS HOUSE OF BRANDS | ![2-Mar-03-2024-04-31-09-9544-PM](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/2-Mar-03-2024-04-31-09-9544-PM.png?width=100&height=67&name=2-Mar-03-2024-04-31-09-9544-PM.png) | [![TRAINING (2)](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/TRAINING%20(2).png?width=100&height=100&name=TRAINING%20(2).png)](https://www.academyofcontinuingeducation.com/) | | --- | --- | | [![5-3](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/5-3.png?width=100&height=67&name=5-3.png)](https://babygotbacklink.com/) | [![4-Mar-03-2024-04-31-09-9108-PM](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/4-Mar-03-2024-04-31-09-9108-PM.png?width=100&height=67&name=4-Mar-03-2024-04-31-09-9108-PM.png)](https://joyyouell.com/) | | ![3-Mar-03-2024-04-31-09-9008-PM](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/3-Mar-03-2024-04-31-09-9008-PM.png?width=100&height=67&name=3-Mar-03-2024-04-31-09-9008-PM.png) | [![1-1](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/1-1.png?width=100&height=67&name=1-1.png)](https://winsomepr.com/) |   Hire a Writer: 31 Newton Ave Woodbury, NJ 08096     [![HAW Logo T & White square](https://www.hireawriter.us/hs-fs/hubfs/HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square.png?width=300&height=169&name=HAW%20Logo%20T%20%26%20White%20square.png)](https://www.hireawriter.us/oldhome) - Legal Stuff - Privacy Policy © 2026 Hire a Writer™ [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Hireawriteronline)[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/joywriteryouell/)[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/hireawriter/)[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8sZOTANgCCjtn29m4J0Z6A)[Medium](https://medium.com/hireawriter) [Tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@joyyouell) [Pinterest](https://www.pinterest.com/joyfromhireawriter/) Return to top ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Writing Team", "url" : "https://www.hireawriter.us/social/author/writing-team" }, "dateModified" : "2023-08-18T19:20:13.110Z", "datePublished" : "2023-08-18T19:20:13.000Z", "headline" : "The Dilemma of Chronological Feeds: Meta's Revelation", "image" : [ "https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20blog%20-%202023-08-18T151919.558%20(1).png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.hireawriter.us/social/the-dilemma-of-chronological-feeds-metas-revelation", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.hireawriter.us/hubfs/HAW%20Logo%20T%20&%20White%20square-1.png" } } } ```