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TikTok Is (Sort Of) Letting Your Control the Algorithm

TikTok Is (Sort Of) Letting Your Control the Algorithm

TikTok is undergoing a “refresh.”

The popular short-video app is testing a new feature called Refresh, which will bring you a fresh batch of videos based on how you use the app after you press the button.

TikTok’s curation of user’s For You pages has been a hot topic of debate, with many questioning the closely guarded recommendations algorithm. But the company is stepping up to the plate and giving users a bit more control over their experience. The Refresh button will come in handy if you’re feeling bombarded with the same content or if the videos being served just aren’t cutting it anymore.

And that’s not all of the new changes coming from TikTok. The app is seemingly working overtime to take transparency to the next level. In December, the company announced that users will soon be able to see why a particular video was recommended.  This is probably due in response to all the complaints from users, including the U.S. government, who have been wary of TikTok’s algorithm. And, earlier in 2022, TikTok rolled out advanced content filtering settings, giving users the power to signal that they don’t want to see videos with certain hashtags or keywords.

It’s worth noting that the Refresh button test will only be available to a small group of users in the next few days, but many users are hopeful that it’s a step in the right direction for the app.

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