Instagram is rolling out a way to craft its algorithm.
Starting today, Instagram will allow users to fine-tune the content they see on Reels, cutting out entire topics the app thinks users are interested in but you don’t. Watched one cat video and now you’re seeing way too many cat videos? Now you’ll be able to toggle them off.
Eventually, this customization will expand to other feeds across the app.
It’s a notable shift for a platform that has spent years forcing recommended content on users in the name of discovery. The algorithm-driven push has fueled Instagram’s growth, but it has also fueled user frustration — and, more importantly, worsened mental health. Studies have shown that social media algorithms often surface triggering or polarizing content, which can increase anxiety and depression.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the feature will roll out in tests over the next few months, alongside other changes such as tweaking the app’s navigation bar to emphasize DMs. The move comes as the platform hit 3 billion monthly users, according to Mosseri and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. That’s a staggering milestone — but if these changes mean users can log off feeling better instead of worse, the number might be the least impressive part.
