Relationship

The next parameter that Instagram uses to show the content is Relationship. Almost every time, Instagram prioritizes posts from your friends, family, and accounts that you care about.

The post that you see on your feed, to even friend suggestions you get in your feed, are referred to you by Instagram following what people close to you have liked.

According to Thomas Dimson, a software engineer at Instagram shared how Instagram could theoretically figure out who you care about the most, based on how you use the app:

• People whose content you like (possibly including stories and live videos)
• People you direct message
• People you search for
• People you know in real life

Instagram calculates this relationship based on the common interest level and serves you their content and monitors how you engage with it.