The Short Version
The available evidence does not support the assertion that unedited short-form videos receive higher average engagement than highly edited videos on Instagram Reels. The only direct comparison in the evidence pool found similar engagement levels, with edited Reels achieving greater reach. Supporting arguments conflate Instagram's push for "authentic" and "original" content — which targets AI-generated material and reposts — with a preference for unedited video, a distinction the evidence does not sustain.