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Instagram rolls out AI tool letting users customise reels algorithm
The new “Your Algorithm” feature gives users real-time control over recommended topics as global pressure mounts for greater platform transparency.
Instagram on Wednesday introduced a new AI-powered feature that allows users to see and modify the algorithm shaping their Reels feed, marking one of the platform’s most significant steps toward giving people more direct control over what they watch.
The feature, called “Your Algorithm,” appears as an icon in the upper-right corner of the Reels tab and lists the topics Instagram believes users are interested in, based on their viewing behaviour. Users can increase or decrease how much of each topic they want to see, with recommendations adjusting live.
Meta said in a blog post that the tool lets people explicitly tell Instagram which subjects they prefer more or less of, a level of transparency and control that regulators and advocacy groups have been demanding for years. Social platforms globally have been under pressure to open up their content-selection processes, which critics argue can encourage echo chambers or boost harmful material.
While companies have long defended their recommendation systems as key to keeping users engaged, many have resisted making them more transparent. Instagram framed the new tool as a way to deepen user connection, saying feeds should reflect evolving interests and offer “more meaningful ways to control what you see.”
Alongside interest lists, the update also allows users to type in specific topics to fine-tune the feed even further.
Instagram said the company plans to expand the tool beyond Reels to Explore and additional areas of the app. The rollout began Wednesday in the United States and will expand globally in English “soon.”
The launch comes as governments increase scrutiny of social-media algorithms. Australia recently became the first country to ban users under 16 from apps like Instagram, saying it aimed to “take back control” from platforms and shield minors from “predatory algorithms.” Instagram says it is “leading the way” with tools that give users greater visibility and influence over automated recommendations.
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