Social media’s next evolution: user-controlled algorithms

For years, societal media giants controlled what users saw successful their feeds. While radical could travel accounts, similar posts oregon fell contented they didn’t enjoy, proposal algorithms controlled what was shown to them.

Now, societal platforms are handing implicit immoderate of their powerfulness by allowing users to personalize their algorithms with the assistance of AI.

Beyond accepted “Not Interested” buttons, apps similar Threads, Instagram, and TikTok person begun introducing tools that fto radical bid their ain algorithms and power what appears successful their feeds.

The displacement reflects an improvement successful however proposal systems work. Social media feeds are moving distant from a one-size-fits-all TV transmission and toward thing much similar a streaming service, wherever users tin tune recommendations to their interests and person much power implicit what they see. 

For users, the vantage of customizable algorithms is simply a provender tailored to their interests. For societal media giants, it’s a mode to boost engagement by displaying contented that radical are astir apt to consume.

Here’s a look astatine however societal media platforms are giving users much power implicit their proposal algorithms.

Threads

Image Credits:Meta

On July 16, 2026, Threads launched a caller “Your Algo” feature that builds connected the platform’s “Dear Algo” tool, which debuted successful February. The “Dear Algo” instrumentality lets users power their provender by publishing a nationalist post, specified arsenic “Dear Algo, amusement maine much posts astir podcasts,” to bespeak the types of contented they privation to spot much oregon little of successful their feed. With the caller “Your Algo” feature, users tin marque those preferences privately, without having to station publicly. 

Users tin archer Threads you privation to spot much oregon little of definite topics and take however agelong the petition lasts: one, three, oregon 7 days. For example, you could inquire to spot much shot contented and little stressful news. 

Instagram

Image Credits:Instagram

In aboriginal June, Instagram launched a caller instrumentality that lets you spot and power your algorithm crossed your feed. The tool, called “Your Algorithm,” lets you presumption the topics that signifier your recommendations and customize them to amended acceptable your interests. The instrumentality archetypal launched for the reels provender in December 2025, but is present disposable crossed the feed, explore, and reels. 

Once you entree the instrumentality successful your settings, you spot the topics Instagram thinks you attraction astir the most. You tin past archer the app what you’re funny successful and what you privation to spot much oregon little of, and your recommendations volition accommodate accordingly. 

Instagram caput Adam Mosseri has said that societal media ranking models person historically been built with exertion that wasn’t transparent to users, but present ample connection models (LLMs) tin marque proposal systems much understandable by showing wherefore contented is displayed and letting users explicitly pass their preferences.

TikTok

Image Credits:TikTok

TikTok features a “Manage Topics” tool that gives you much power implicit what you spot successful your “For You” feed. Launched successful 2024, you tin entree the diagnostic successful your settings to customize your preferences for antithetic topics, specified arsenic sports, travel, humor, existent affairs, dance, and food. You tin bash truthful by moving the slider to set however overmuch you bash oregon don’t privation to spot that benignant of contented successful your For You feed. 

If you are uncertain astir which benignant of videos autumn nether a category, you tin click the “information” fastener adjacent to a topic. For instance, TikTok says the “Creative arts” taxable includes “painting, drawing, graphic design, and art-related tutorials.”

In 2025, TikTok expanded its Manage Topics instrumentality by introducing AI-powered Smart Keyword Filters, which automatically bounds contented containing related keywords, specified arsenic synonyms. For example, if you usage the Manage Topics instrumentality to filter retired “remodeling,” TikTok volition besides filter retired “renovation” and “renovations.”