WEB DESK: Instagram has introduced a feature that allows users to see and directly adjust the topics influencing their Reels recommendations.
The announcement makes Instagram the first platform to offer such transparency and control over its algorithm.
The new tool can be accessed by tapping a new icon, two lines with hearts, in the upper-right corner of the Reels interface.
After tapping, users are shown a personalised list of interest topics that Instagram’s algorithm has associated with their search and watched content.
From this “interest map,” users can select which topics they want to see more or less of, and the Reels feed will immediately begin adapting to reflect those preferences.
Additionally, users have the option to share their algorithm-generated list of interests as a summary to their Story, giving followers a glimpse into what the app believes they enjoy.
According to Instagram’s official announcement, the ability to view and fine-tune algorithmic recommendations will expand to the Explore tab in the coming months, with plans to bring similar controls to other areas of the app soon.
The feature begins rolling out in the United States, with a global rollout in English-speaking regions expected soon.
Meta faces investigation over ‘massive’ spying on Android users
It is pertinent to mention here that Meta, the parent company of social media giants WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, is under investigation over allegedly massive spying on Android users.
Spain’s President, Pedro Sánchez, announced that he will deploy a series of measures to combat “disinformation”, protect minors, eradicate “hate speech”, and curb the violation of citizens’ privacy.
Following the announcement, the Spanish parliament is probing Meta for allegedly spying on users in a “systematic and massive” privacy case.
“In Spain, the law is above any algorithm or any large technology platform. And anyone who violates our rights will pay the consequences,” Sánchez stated.
The international investigation found that Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, used a hidden mechanism to track the web history of Android users from September 2024 until this summer.
Also read: Meta Introduces New Anti-Scam Features on WhatsApp and Messenger
