Social media’s next evolution: user-controlled algorithms
Social media feeds are becoming more customizable as platforms like Threads, Instagram, and TikTok introduce tools that let users directly influence the algorithms powering their recommendations.
For years, social media giants controlled what users saw in their feeds. While people could follow accounts, like posts or hide content they didn’t enjoy, recommendation algorithms controlled what was shown to them.
Now, social platforms are handing over some of their power by allowing users to personalize their algorithms with the help of AI.
Beyond traditional “Not Interested” buttons, apps like Threads, Instagram, and TikTok have begun introducing tools that let people train their own algorithms and influence what appears in their feeds.
The shift reflects an evolution in how recommendation systems work. Social media feeds are moving away from a one-size-fits-all TV channel and toward something more like a streaming service, where users can tune recommendations to their interests and have more control over what they see.
For users, the advantage of customizable algorithms is a feed tailored to their interests. For social media giants, it’s a way to boost engagement by displaying content that people are most likely to consume.
Here’s a look at how social media platforms are giving users more control over their recommendation algorithms.
On June 16, 2026, Threads launched a new “Your Algo” feature that builds on the platform’s “Dear Algo” tool , which debuted in February. The “Dear Algo” tool lets users influence their feed by publishing a public post, such as “Dear Algo, show me more posts about podcasts,” to indicate the types of content they want to see more or less of in their feed. With the new “Your Algo” feature, users can make those preferences privately, without having to post publicly.
Users can tell Threads they want to see more or less of certain topics and choose how long the request lasts: one, three, or seven days. For example, you could ask to see more baseball content and less stressful news.
In early June, Instagram launched a new tool that lets you see and control your algorithm across your feed. The tool, called “Your Algorithm,” lets you view the topics that shape your recommendations and customize them to better fit your interests. The tool launched for the reels feed in December 2025 , but is now available across the feed, explore, and reels.
Once you access the tool in your settings, you see the topics Instagram thinks you care about the most. You can then tell the app what you’re interested in and what you want to see more or less of, and your recommendations will adapt accordingly.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri has said that social media ranking models have historically been built with technology that wasn’t transparent to users, but now large language models (LLMs) can make recommendation systems more understandable by showing why content is displayed and letting users explicitly communicate their preferences.
TikTok features a “Manage Topics” tool that gives you more control over what you see in your “For You” feed. Launched in 2024, you can access the feature in your settings to customize your preferences for different topics, such as sports, travel, humor, current affairs, dance, and food. You can do so by moving the slider to adjust how much you do or don’t want to see that sort of content in your For You feed.
If you are uncertain about which type of videos fall under a category, you can click the “information” button next to a topic. For instance, TikTok says the “Creative arts” topic includes “painting, drawing, graphic design, and art-related tutorials.”
In 2025, TikTok expanded its Manage Topics tool by introducing AI-powered Smart Keyword Filters , which automatically limit content containing related keywords, such as synonyms. For example, if you use the Manage Topics tool to filter out “remodeling,” TikTok will also filter out “renovation” and “renovations.”
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Aisha is a consumer news reporter at TechCrunch. Prior to joining the publication in 2021, she was a telecom reporter at MobileSyrup. Aisha holds an honours bachelor’s degree from University of Toronto and a master’s degree in journalism from Western University.
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Key takeaways
- Social media platforms are allowing users to customize their algorithms, increasing control over the content they see.
- This shift may result in higher engagement but also raises concerns about the creation of information bubbles.
- Cultural diversity in Brazil may influence the acceptance and effectiveness of these personalization tools.
Editorial analysis
The evolution of user-controlled algorithms on social media represents a significant milestone in how platforms interact with their users. For the Brazilian tech sector, this could open new opportunities for startups and developers looking to create tailored solutions that meet the demand for greater control and personalization. With the growing concerns about privacy and data manipulation, the ability for users to directly influence what they see could be a competitive differentiator for platforms seeking to stand out in the market.
Moreover, this shift may impact the broader ecosystem of social networks by fostering an environment where content becomes more relevant and less homogeneous. This could lead to increased engagement, as users feel more connected to content that truly interests them. However, it also raises questions about the platforms' responsibility to ensure that user preferences do not create information bubbles, where only similar viewpoints are reinforced.
What to watch for next is how these personalization tools will be adopted and adapted by different demographics, especially in a country like Brazil, where cultural and interest diversity is vast. The acceptance and effectiveness of these features may vary significantly across different groups, and platforms will need to be agile in adjusting their approaches to meet these needs. Additionally, it will be crucial to monitor how these changes influence advertising and digital marketing, as brands seek to connect more effectively with their target audiences.
Finally, the implementation of these tools may also spark a debate about ethics in algorithm usage. As users gain more control, platforms must be transparent about how their choices affect the content they see, avoiding subtle manipulations that could distort the user experience. This transparency will be essential for building and maintaining user trust in social media.
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