Instagram users given new algorithm controls

The Instagram logo is seen on a cell phone in Boston, Oct. 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Instagram on Wednesday unveiled a new AI-powered feature that lets users view and adjust the algorithm shaping their Reels feed, calling it a pioneering move toward greater user control.

The Meta-owned app is introducing “Your Algorithm,” accessible through an icon in the upper right corner of Reels -- a user’s video feed -- which displays the topics Instagram believes users are interested in based on their viewing history.

In a blog post, Meta said users can now directly tell the platform which subjects they want to see more or less of, with recommendations adjusting accordingly in real time.

Social media platforms have faced mounting pressure from regulators and users alike to provide greater transparency around algorithmic content curation, which critics say can create echo chambers or promote harmful content.

But companies also see algorithms as their platform’s ‘secret sauce’ for engaging users and have often resisted greater transparency.

“Instagram has always been a place to dive deep into your interests and connect with friends,” the company said in its blog. “As your interests evolve over time, we want to give you more meaningful ways to control what you see.”

The feature shows users a summary of their top interests and allows them to type in specific topics to fine-tune their feed.

Instagram said it is “leading the way” in offering such transparency and control, with plans to expand the feature beyond Reels to Explore and other sections of the app.

The tool launched Wednesday in the United States and will roll out globally in English “soon,” the company said.

The move came as Australia, in a world-first, banned people under age 16 from a raft of popular social media apps, including Instagram. The government said it aimed to “take back control” from tech giants and protect children from “predatory algorithms.”