Instagram is rolling out a new Reels feature that gives users a clearer window into how the platform decides what shows up in their feeds. The update, called Your Algorithm, introduces a level of transparency that the app has avoided until now. Instead of relying solely on indirect signals such as likes, comments, and watch time, users will be able to see a curated summary of topics Instagram believes they are interested in — and adjust those categories directly. It marks another step in Meta’s broader attempt to present more user-facing controls at a time when its recommendation systems and their effects are under increased public and regulatory scrutiny.
Your Algorithm appears in the top-right corner of the Reels feed once the update hits a user’s device. Opening the panel reveals a short breakdown of themes the recommendation engine has associated with recent viewing behavior. Below that, two lists allow users to signal what they want to see more of and what they would prefer to avoid. The company provides preset categories based on past activity, but users can add or remove topics manually. Tapping into a category also lets viewers preview Reels within that theme before deciding whether to surface it more frequently.
Additional controls sit in a three-dot menu, linking out to settings that already existed elsewhere in the app — such as filters for political content, options for limiting sensitive material, and keyword-based exclusions. While these tools aren’t new, placing them alongside the algorithm summary reinforces Meta’s push to consolidate user control within a single, recognizable interface.
The timing aligns with regulatory pressure in Europe, where the European Commission has demanded clearer data-use options for Meta’s products. Users there can already opt out of certain personalized ad systems, and more granular controls are on the way. In the U.S., where regulation remains slower, features like Your Algorithm operate as voluntary transparency measures rather than mandated shifts. At the same time, Meta faces mounting criticism over how its platforms engage younger users, prompting the company to introduce Teen Accounts, expand parental oversight tools, and adjust some of its internal AI guidelines.
Whether Your Algorithm materially changes how addictive Reels feels is another question. The feature may help users understand how the system interprets their viewing patterns, but the underlying design of short-form video feeds still encourages rapid engagement. Even attempting to test the new setting can lead to the familiar cycle: open the app, watch one video out of curiosity, and lose track of several minutes. The update does, however, indicate a slow pivot toward giving users clearer levers of control — even if the broader attention economy remains unchanged.
