As @Rick mentioned, Instagram has been pretty clear here… and I personally believe it’s true. I think there are a couple of reasons that hide your content from other people:
The algorithm takes into account so many different criteria that your content might simply not “pass the test” once in a while, or other contents might simply outperform your content at this exact moment. When it was chronological and hashtag ranking was based on engagement only, it was very easy to check. Now, it’s almost impossible.
They have bugs. Instagram is not this beautiful bunch of code we would love to deal with. It’s huge and pretty buggy. Once in a while, your content or your account might bump into a bug, and your exposure is then limited, by accident. One of my client - with a business account - could not access is Analytics anymore. Went back to the personal account, waited 24 hours, went back to the business account… and it works now. Bugs are happening all day long and impact millions of people.
There are many threads here asking why their accounts are not seen and or likes and er dropping like a rock. When asked if they used a banned or semi banned hashtag, many said yes. After removing them…after a few days back in business. Guess those must be under ’ unknowns. ’ believe what you want. My own accounts, those I helped remove them all prove to me, beyond a shadow of a doubt they are there. Not what Instgram says but what they do. Not from theory but from 90 percent drops in likes from many of my own posts. After removing them completely seen likes shoot back up. From paged gaining back hundreds a day vs. Losing followers.
If Instagram was telling you the truth, then folks you would not be throttled after a PV/EV or post removed too.
I challenge anyone who believes shadowbans are a myth. Use your own account ( expendable one) – put in a banned or semibanned hashtag in caption of comment. tell me if able to see from a non-following account. There is all the evidence you need…