Don’t like your Facebook feed? Meta wants to know what you want to see instead
Meta is rolling out a Facebook feature that lets users give more direct guidance about what appears in their recommendations. The change matters because it gives people a way to describe their preferences in their own words, as well as mark particular topics as interesting or unwanted.
The new “your algorithm” menu can be opened from feed posts and Reels, and Meta says large language models help its ranking systems interpret users’ interests and intent. The feature mirrors one introduced on Instagram earlier this year, but the article notes that the Facebook rollout had not yet reached the writer’s app. The Instagram version also had limits, including not accepting requests for more posts from followed accounts or fewer adverts.
- Facebook is adding controls for recommendation topics.
- Users can describe preferences in their own words.
- Meta says large language models support the feature.
New here? Start with this
Facebook is a social media platform owned by Meta, which also owns Instagram. Its feed and Reels show posts and short videos chosen by recommendation systems, which use signals such as people’s activity and stated interests to decide what to display.
Meta develops these systems and sets the controls available to users. The new menu is part of a broader effort to let people express what they want to see, including by naming topics they like or want less of; Meta says language models help interpret those preferences.
Recommendations affect what people encounter as they use Facebook, so the controls matter to users and to Meta’s approach to personalising the service. Similar controls appeared on Instagram earlier this year, though the article notes that they had limits on the kinds of requests users could make.