Tired of unwanted recommendations in your feed? Instagram to launch ‘manual reset’ feature
Instagram, owned by Facebook parent Meta Platforms, is set to allow users to reset the recommendation algorithm that determines the posts they see in their feed. In a blog post, Instagram said the change was made to ensure young people see relevant content.
“We want to make sure that everyone on Instagram – especially young people – has a safe, positive, age-appropriate experience and feels that the time they spend on Instagram is important”, the company said.
Instagram said that, in the coming days, users will be able to delete recommended content across their Reels, Feed, and Explore tabs. In reset mode, users will have the option to update the entire ‘following’ list and unfollow accounts as they wish.
Emphasizing the impact of the update on young people, Instagram added, “We want to give young people new ways to shape their Instagram experience, so they can continue to reflect their interests and passions as they develop.”
“Your recommendations will begin to be personalized and over time, show new content based on the content and accounts you interact with”, the company said.
In addition, Meta explained in a note how it restricts content that is sensitive to youth. Previously, Instagram had announced ways to add teens to designated private accounts, including additional controls and restrictions.
Meta and Instagram have been targets of safety advocates, who say the social media has a negative impact on young users.
Notably, Instagram users already have the ability to partially control their recommendation algorithm with a widget that enables them to categorize content as “interesting” or “not interesting”.
The reset-recommendation functionality is under testing and is expected to be rolled out globally soon.
In a related development, Instagram introduced a new feature earlier this year that allows users to add a song to their profile. This feature gives users more ways to express themselves through music.
