Instagram is expanding options for personalizing its recommendation algorithm, as announced by head Adam Mosseri. The platform is exploring new ways to access the Your Algorithm feature, launched last year, which lets users specify topics they want to see more or less of. Mosseri stated the goal is to make Your Algorithm a central part of the Instagram experience, not just a hidden setting.
New ways to access Your Algorithm
Among the options being tested, the most notable is a menu that appears by pulling down on the main feed. Another involves swiping up from a Reel to bring up a customization prompt. Additionally, buttons beneath each Reel could allow users to indicate whether they want to see more similar content. These interfaces aim to make algorithm control faster and more intuitive, aligning with growing user demand for transparency.
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User desire: return to content from followed accounts
Despite the innovations, the most popular comments on Mosseri's post express a clear request: show more posts from accounts users actually follow. One user wrote, 'We just want our algorithm to show the people we follow.' This suggests that while Instagram introduces customization tools, many users feel the platform has progressively prioritized suggested content over real connections. The challenge for Instagram will be balancing recommendations with visibility of genuine relationships.
Impact for creators and businesses
Changes to the algorithm have direct consequences for creators and brands. If users can easily reduce visibility of certain topics, creators will need to refine content strategies to stay relevant. Similarly, businesses investing in advertising may see shifts in engagement rates. This scenario echoes other recent digital evolutions, such as OpenAI tightening API access in Europe, which forced SMEs to rethink technological dependencies. In both cases, transparency and control become central.
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According to the original TechCrunch article, some of these features are in testing and may never be released. Instagram is gathering feedback to decide which options to implement. It remains to be seen whether the company can meet user demands without compromising the algorithm's ability to recommend engaging content.
