Meta Rolls Out “Your Algorithm” Tool, Giving Instagram Users Direct Control Over Content Recommendations

Meta has launched a significant update to Instagram, introducing a new feature called “Your Algorithm,” designed to give users greater control over the content they see particularly on the fast-growing Reels feed.

The rollout marks one of Instagram’s most notable transparency moves in recent years, allowing users to actively shape the platform’s recommendation system rather than relying solely on automated predictions.

The update places a new icon on the Reels tab represented by two vertical lines with small hearts through which users can access a personalized dashboard.

This interface displays a list of interests and content categories Instagram’s AI has associated with the user based on their activity, including videos watched, liked, saved, or shared.

With the new tool, users can review these topics, remove interests they no longer want, add new topics, or flag categories they wish to see more or less frequently.

Instagram says changes made by users will immediately influence the Reels algorithm, gradually refining what appears in their feed.

According to Meta, the feature is part of a broader effort to give people more agency and address concerns about the opaque nature of algorithmic curation.

For years, digital-rights advocates and researchers have warned that closed algorithms can contribute to content “echo chambers,” reinforcement loops, and limited content diversity.

Meta said the latest update aims to help users better understand why they see certain posts and make informed adjustments.

The feature is currently available to users in the United States and will be rolled out globally in the coming weeks, initially in English.

Instagram also plans to expand the “Your Algorithm” controls beyond Reels to other recommendation surfaces, including the Explore page, as part of an ongoing overhaul of the platform’s personalization system.

The company noted that the update builds on existing controls such as “Not Interested” buttons, keyword muting, and sensitive-content restrictions, but emphasized that this is the first time users can directly view and edit the interest signals that power their recommendations.

Industry analysts say the move could set a precedent for more transparent content-ranking systems across social media platforms, especially amid rising calls for user-controlled algorithms.