Meta is giving Instagram users a rare glimpse into why certain posts are showing up on their Reels, the platform’s feed of algorithmically curated videos. Starting today, users will now see a list of what Instagram considers to be your top, recent interests. This kind of peek behind the algorithmic curtain is already uncommon in social media apps, but Meta is taking it a step further by allowing Instagram users to influence their algorithm directly by picking topics they want to see more or less often in Reels.
This feature, called “Your Algorithm,” drops as Instagram and TikTok continue to battle for prominence with younger users. It’s these users who potentially want more control over what they’re consuming as they scroll through video feeds, as well as other personalization options. The new feature is landing on Instagram first for those in the US, with a global rollout for English users in the works.
The change arrives around the same time as the European Commission claims Meta will offer users in the European Union more options about how their data is being used for personalized ads. Instagram’s current approach, where users can pay a subscription to not see ads, does not meet the standards for choice set up under the Digital Markets act, according to the EU. Users in this locale are expected to see a choice soon whether to share all their data, or opt for a smaller sliver to be used for advertising purposes.
Instagram currently has the lead in overall app adoption among young users, but TikTok isn’t that far off. According to a 2025 study by the Pew Research Center, 80 percent of US adults under 30 used Instagram whereas 63 percent used TikTok.
When a user opens the new “Your Algorithm” tab on Instagram, they’ll see a brief summary of what they’ve “been into” while scrolling through Reels. The topics displayed are based on recent user activity, and the summaries are made using generative AI. Meta’s examples of topics that users could add with the new feature include “Horror movies,” “Chess,” and “College football.”
For the bold, Instagram is including a way to post this summary of what you’ve been watching and topics you’ve adjusted. Because, what’s the fun in having your data tracked and personalized if you can’t share it with the world? No need to wait for me to post mine on some Close Friends story, my top interests on Reels right now are: a stand-up set Gianmarco Soresi did at a furry convention and decadent grilled cheese sandwiches—so damn gooey.
Throughout 2025, Instagram has launched new features designed around the personalization of algorithmic feeds and other tools aimed at capturing a young audience. The “Friends” tab in Reels dropped this year for users who want to creep on what videos their friends are liking and commenting on. And while it could be considered an invasion of privacy, always-on location sharing is trendy among Gen Z friends, so Instagram also added an opt-in version of that feature which allows people to pinpoint on the app’s map exactly where their friends are.
Instagram’s “Your Algorithm” feature shares some similarities to the “Manage Topics” tool TikTok launched last year in the US. Rather than highlighting what personally may be most interesting to you, this TikTok feature lists a bunch of general interest topics, like “Current Affairs” and “Travel,” with adjustable sliders to request more or less of those things in your video feed. While TikTok launched this first, Meta’s new options provide more granular controls.
As social media companies have prioritized mega-viral hits and other crowd pleasing videos in their algorithmic feeds over the past few years, many users have complained about not being able to see the more niche videos they want. It’s akin to being dragged around like a piece of driftwood, ripping carelessly through the river rapids of short-form online content. The battle for algorithm-less, chronological feeds may have been lost by users, but the social media companies’ battle to come up with more engaging hyper-personalized features rages on.
The post Instagram Will Start Letting You Pick What Shows Up in Your Reels appeared first on Wired.
