Meta has officially revealed how the new «Your Algorithm» tool works on Instagram and Facebook. Users can now customize their recommendation feeds themselves, choosing which topics to see more often and which to remove from recommendations entirely.
With these settings, the platform hopes to reduce complaints about repetitive content and keep users engaged in the app.
How manual recommendation settings work
A separate section has appeared in the app settings where users can manage the signals they provide to the algorithm. They can now manually enter their key interests as text or select predefined categories from a suggested list.
If users are tired of a particular format or topic, they can immediately add it to a blacklist. In this case, the algorithm will stop recommending similar videos, even if they receive millions of views and go viral across the social network.
In addition to filtering specific topics, users can now completely reset their recommendations. A dedicated reset button has been added to the menu: it clears the entire accumulated viewing history, after which the system starts building the feed again from scratch.
Why Meta is reducing the algorithm's control over recommendations
Previously, feeds on Instagram and Facebook were generated solely based on user behavior: watch time, likes and video completion rates. As a result, recommendations quickly became filled with similar videos, even if someone had stopped to watch a post by accident.
Another reason — is pressure from regulators. Authorities in the US and Europe accuse social networks of encouraging addiction through endless streams of repetitive videos. By introducing manual settings, Meta is trying to demonstrate to regulators that it gives users real control over the content they see.
What this changes for organic traffic
When driving organic traffic through Reels, these filters will directly affect the number of impressions. Previously, a video could reach a broad audience through recommendations if its creator managed to capture viewers' attention in the first few seconds.
Now, high retention alone won't be enough. If a user has already excluded a particular topic in their settings, videos on that topic won't appear in their feed, even if they have excellent completion rates.
As a result, creators will need to pay closer attention to descriptions and tags when preparing creatives. The algorithm will match video topics more strictly against users' filters, so the text displayed in videos and the keywords used will directly determine whether the platform delivers the content to viewers.
