Instagram Returns Long Videos, Still No Creator Pay Plan Yet

Instagram has reintroduced long-form video tools but has no concrete plan to pay creators for those videos. The companys chief executive, Adam Mosseri, has said in a recent interview that Instagram is exploring ways to generate creator revenue, yet it has not outlined any specific program.

The announcement that long videos are coming back, made on Monday, triggered immediate pushback from creators across platforms such as Reddit and Threads. Many say the lack of a clear monetization path, similar to YouTubes revenue-sharing model, saps their incentive to publish extended content on the platform.

Instagram currently has no payment mechanism in place for long-form video creators.

Mosseri addressed critics on Threads, saying he has heard their concerns and that the company is looking for ways to share revenue with creators. He did not, however, provide details, timelines, or a description of how any revenue sharing would work. That absence of specifics has left some creators skeptical and prompted accusations that Instagram and Meta have repeatedly promised support for creators without delivering.

Format and availability

Instagram says the returning long-video capability is not yet global. The feature is available to only a limited number of users in the United States and Brazil. Under the revived format, videos can run up to 90 minutes, compared with the previous Reels limit of 20 minutes. Instagram also says IGTV now supports horizontal video, which the company positions as better suited to longer-form content than the vertical-only approach.

For now the platforms technical changes stand apart from any firm commitments on creator payments, leaving the question of how — or whether — Instagram will compensate long-form creators unresolved.