Threads is trying out a new way to help users attune the feed algorithm to their interests, by posting a message to “Dear algo” then including a note on what they want to see more or less of in the app.
As you can see in this example, posted by Threads chief Connor Hayes, now, if you want to update your Threads algorithm in-stream, you can type “Dear algo” at the beginning of your post, then provide a conversational query to update your registered interests.
Though it’s only a temporary update. As explained by Hayes:
“When people add ‘Dear Algo’ to a post, it will tell your feed what you want to see more or less of for up to three days.”
So it won’t change your feed entirely, but it’ll temporarily refine what is displays, in order to show you more of what you like. And if you then engage with that content, it could become a more permanent shift, depending on how much of it you interact with, and how the algorithm registers that interest, etc.
Your “Dear algo” posts themselves, meanwhile, are actual posts, not DMs or disappearing messages, so they will be viewable on your timeline and by your followers.
“If your profile is public, people can see your request, connect with you about it, or repost it.”
So you’ll also be telling the world what you want to see more or less of, which could well be a point worth noting, depending on your specific interests.
Threads is only testing the process for now, with a select group of users, but it’s looking to expand the roll out to more users over time.
AI-powered algorithm refinement is becoming something of a trend in social media apps, with YouTube launching a similar test last week, while X is also using its Grok chatbot to help users refine their interests.
Instagram, meanwhile, also trying out a more dedicated listing of topics for you to update your feed preferences, Which is different from the conversational chatbot approach, but a similar customization option.
In Threads’ case, it’s actually been testing this out for a while, with an early version of this spotted in testing back in September.
So it’s already done some work in building this functionality, with this live test expanding on its initial learnings, with a view to providing a simple means to explicitly tell the algorithm what you want to see.
And if it works, it could have big benefits. Many social media users regularly complain about algorithms ruining their experience, and soon, they may have a way to address this, right there and then, lessening the need for angst or complaint.
Which could add practical value, though in reality, I actually think that the real value of tools like this is theoretical instead.
Because while people like to complain and criticize “the algorithm,” and the social media overlords who decide what they’re shown in each app, in reality, when given the option to manually change or update these things, people generally don’t bother.
This has always been the case, with few people actually utilizing data privacy and algorithm controls where they can, despite repeatedly raising this as an issue. Because once people have that control option, they feel more assured, but really, what most people really want, especially in a post-TikTok world, is to log on and have the algorithm show them a selection of posts that they’ll probably like.
So the true value here may just be in its existence, as opposed to its utility. But that, in itself, makes it a worthy experiment.
