Instagram is facing a major backlash over its recent decision to limit the reach of Political content on its platform and its new app Threads. A diverse group of high-profile figures are furiously objecting to the policy and demanding Instagram reconsider.

Leading voices like comedian Alok Vaid-Menon, actor Kevin McHale, news outlet So Informed, activist Carlos Eduardo Espina, and the meme kings at Under the Desk News are spearheading the charge against Instagram. Their core argument? By restricting political posts to just people who already follow an account, Instagram is stifling democratic discussion and civic engagement when it's needed most.

They see the policy as a blunt instrument that will end up censoring vital conversations on everything from climate change to gun laws to abortion rights under Instagram's broad definition of what counts as "political." Already marginalized communities, they argue, will be disproportionately muzzled - deprived of platforms to share real-life perspectives so crucial for equity and representation.

There's an economic angle too. For creators who monetize through sponsorships and brand deals, being demoted in the Instagram feed could mean a straight-up pay cut. No small thing when the app fails to offer any meaningful way to get paid directly.

As the 2024 election looms, some wonder if Instagram is just trying to avoid a remake of its role in past electoral shit-shows. But critics say the cure could be worse than the disease - keeping people sealed off in ideological bubbles bereft of different viewpoints is hardly the recipe for a well-informed electorate.

It's a tricky line Instagram is trying to walk between keeping a lid on harmful garbage and preserving the free-flow of discourse, especially on issues the public cares about. With pressures ratcheting up from all sides, all eyes are on what Instagram does next and whether it inadvertently kneecaps the digital public square.

Image: DIW-AIgen

Read next: Study Claims Almost One In Three Parents Have Never Spoken To Their Kids About Cybersecurity And That’s Alarming