CALIFORNIA – Instagram is testing a new feature that lets users fine-tune the content they see on the platform — a move that could reshape how the app’s powerful recommendation system works.
The Meta-owned social network has begun experimenting with a setting that allows users to add or remove topics of interest, giving them greater control over what appears in their Reels and Explore feeds.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the feature is designed to “let people tune their algorithm by adding and removing topics based on their interests.”
In early tests, users can find the option — tentatively called “Your Algorithm” or “Content Preferences” — within the app’s settings.
The section lists various topics Instagram believes a user is interested in, such as travel, fashion, football, or comedy, allowing them to choose whether they want to see more or less of each.
The feature is currently limited to Reels, Instagram’s short-video format, but the company says it plans to extend it to the Explore tab in the coming months.
If widely adopted, the update would mark one of Instagram’s most significant steps toward making its recommendation system more transparent and customisable, amid mounting criticism that algorithms often feel opaque or repetitive.
However, privacy experts have cautioned that giving users the power to select topics could also give Meta deeper insights into personal interests, potentially feeding into the company’s advertising systems.
Instagram has not confirmed whether these preferences will influence the ads users see.
For now, the tool is in limited testing and available only to a small number of users in select regions. Meta has not announced when it plans a wider rollout.
