You can now specify to Instagram’s algorithm exactly what content you'd like to appear on your main feed.

      Instagram's Your Algorithm feature now gives you control over your feed's content.

      Instagram has been curating your feed for years without consulting you about your preferences, but that's about to change.

      Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, announced that the Your Algorithm feature, which allows you to view and modify the topics the platform believes you are interested in, will soon be accessible in your main feed. This functionality was already available on Reels and in the Explore section, and this update extends it to the area where users spend the most time.

      What is Your Algorithm and how does it function?

      Your Algorithm reveals the topics that the system identifies as your interests and enables you to manage them. You can view an entire list, add topics you wish to see more of, and remove those you don’t want.

      Currently, the feature is restricted to topics, but Instagram indicates that it is working on expanding it to include specific individuals, various moods or vibes, and types of content.

      Mosseri mentioned that this feature is driven by a significant evolution in AI model capabilities. Historically, ranking systems relied on data that was nearly impossible for humans to interpret. However, with the advent of large language models, the ability to analyze content clusters and translate them into understandable terms has made this kind of feature feasible.

      Why this is significant

      Mosseri was notably open in his announcement. He recognized that, while algorithmic recommendations have their benefits, they have also gradually taken decision-making away from users.

      Instagram

      Your feed adapted based on your interactions, but you were never really allowed to express your preferences. This ultimately turned into a one-sided dialogue.

      Mosseri stated that Instagram intends to focus on giving users genuine control over their experience moving forward. He also hinted at a more ambitious future in which AI creates entirely customized app experiences in real-time, although he cautioned that such an implementation would be significantly more complex.

      Manisha Priyadarshini is a tech and entertainment writer with over nine years of editorial experience.

      TikTok is testing voice calls in DMs, because scrolling isn't enough.

      It seems that scrolling, texting, and playing games in your DMs were not sufficient.

      TikTok appears to be experimenting with voice calling within direct messages, a development that could position the short-video app in stronger competition with messaging platforms like Messenger and WhatsApp. Jonah Manzano recently identified the feature on X and shared screenshots, which included an incoming call notification labeled "TikTok Audio" and a phone icon integrated into the DM interface.

      From voice notes to calls

      New research finds TikTok’s “Not Interested” button only provides a temporary solution.

      Research from Northeastern University revealed that TikTok's "Not Interested" button offers merely a short-term remedy, as unwanted content reappears in your feed within minutes.

      If you've been using TikTok's "Not Interested" button to try to improve your feed, new findings suggest its effectiveness is fleeting. A study from Northeastern University's Khoury College of Computer Sciences found that the function only offers limited relief, with unwanted items resurfacing shortly after users cease using it.

      How the researchers conducted the study

      The UK's film institute is preserving internet memes and viral videos, including "Charlie bit my finger."

      Classic memes are now considered part of internet history.

      The most whimsical creations of the internet are receiving archival attention. The British Film Institute has preserved around 430 online videos as part of a collection aimed at safeguarding culturally significant internet moments. This collection encompasses almost three decades of British online culture, featuring everything from early livestreaming experiments to viral memes that have somehow woven themselves into everyday vernacular.

      How memes are integrated into modern history