A few days ago in the app, if you went to the "Followers" section, it would show your latest followers in chronological order. The "Following" section did the same thing. Now it shows shared followers first, then randomly, at least in the app. Tried it on desktop, same thing.
Any ideas on this?

I noticed the same thing, and it feels like they quietly released an update that changes the list sorting. It used to be simple and clear with the chronology, but now, with shared subscribers showing first and the rest displayed in a confusing order, it's just confusing.

These changes to the app are truly confusing because it makes tracking new followers less convenient. One way around this is to use an instagram follower viewer which displays followers in a normal order without unnecessary confusion. The service is convenient because everything is displayed in a structured manner, allowing you to quickly check new followers without depending on updates in the official app. It also makes it easier to manage your profile, especially if you work with social media and need to see progress.