Instagram is preparing to give users more control over what they see on their main feed with a new feature called Your Algorithm.
The feature will let people view the topics Instagram believes they are interested in and change them across major parts of the app. According to Instagram head Adam Mosseri, users will be able to see and adjust these topics so the platform can better understand what they actually want to see.
For now, the tool will focus only on topics. However, Instagram is already working on expanding it further. In the future, users may be able to make requests based on people, moods, vibes, content types, and other preferences.
Instagram has already introduced similar controls for Reels and the Explore page, giving users more say over the content recommended to them. The latest update brings that same idea to the main feed, where many people spend much of their time scrolling.
Mosseri said the feature is part of a bigger shift in how Instagram wants to build its products. He said the company believes users should have more agency over the apps they use every day, instead of simply letting recommendation systems decide everything for them.
He also said algorithmic recommendations have been a major technical achievement, but they have come with a cost. While these systems learn from what people tap, watch, and share, users have not always had a clear way to tell the system what they actually want.
According to Mosseri, this one-sided experience may be one reason some people feel uncomfortable with social media. The issue is not always the content itself, but the feeling that the app is shaping the experience for them rather than allowing them to shape it themselves.
For years, ranking systems were built with technology that most users could not easily understand. Mosseri said large language models now make it possible to look at groups of content and describe them in simple language. That gives Instagram a way to show users what the system thinks they like and lets them correct or adjust those assumptions.
With Your Algorithm expanding to the main feed, Instagram is moving toward a more personalized experience where users can play a more active role in shaping what appears in their app.
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