Handling a CEO request to upgrade every photo and video on Meta's apps to high resolution

Meta's CEO wants every photo and video that people upload to be up-converted into a high-resolution version. You are the product manager who receives this request. What would you do? Walk through how you would respond, from understanding the request to a recommendation. ```hint Ask why before how Work out what outcome the CEO is after, then follow one uploaded photo from the person who posts it to a viewer on a slow, low-end phone, and see where a high-resolution version helps and where it costs something. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does up-converting mean using a model to upscale media that arrived at low resolution, or storing and serving uploads closer to their original quality instead of compressing them? - Which apps and formats are in scope: Facebook and Instagram feeds, Stories and Reels, private messaging, and photos only or video as well? - Does the request cover only new uploads, or everything already stored? - What prompted it: a competitor, complaints from creators about quality, an engagement goal, or new devices with larger, sharper screens? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - The goal behind the request, uncovered before committing to a plan - A stated interpretation of "up-convert" and what it implies technically and for users - User value weighed against compute, storage, bandwidth and processing delay, for users on both fast and slow networks and devices - Options compared, from doing exactly what was asked to alternatives, with a recommendation the CEO can act on - A test plan with a primary metric, guardrails and a decision rule ### Follow-up Questions - If the test shows a small rise in time spent but serving costs climb sharply, what do you tell the CEO? - How would you handle an upscaled image that changes a face or garbles text, or that the uploader says misrepresents the original? - How would your plan change for regions where mobile data is slow or expensive?