For a moment, using algorithms to control the feed on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram was kind of cool. It made things more interesting than viewing posts chronologically. However, it started to get tiresome, especially when the algorithm pushed content that users weren’t that keen on. Thankfully, TikTok is giving users more control over their “For You” feed in the latest update to the app.
TikTok “For You” gets more controls
TikTok’s “For You” feed is based on the platform’s highly prized algorithm. For the most part, it does a decent job of curating content it thinks you’re interested in. But what if there are specific types of content you want to see more than others? In this update, TikTok is handing over more controls to users.
This comes in the form of a new feature called “Manage Topics”. TikTok says, “With Manage Topics, you can customize how often content related to over 10 popular topics is recommended in your feed—from Creative Arts, Travel, Nature and Sports.” As you can see in the screenshot above, users now have access to sliders to control how much of a particular topic they want to see compared to others.
So, if you’re more into health and fitness-related content, you can max out the slider. You can also tone down on other types of content, like food and drinks. TikTok says adjusting the settings won’t eliminate certain types of content. Instead, it will affect how often they’re recommended.
Smart Keyword filters
But what if you wanted to eliminate certain types of content entirely? In addition to giving users more control over their feed, TikTok is introducing Smart Keyworld Filtering. This is an AI-powered feature that helps users limit content they don’t want to see recommended at all. This is an enhancement to the previous keyword filter feature.
According to TikTok, “Now, we’re rolling out ‘Smart Keyword Filters,’ a new setting that uses AI to additionally limit content containing similar keywords like synonyms. The tool shows you which additional keywords are being filtered, and in the months to come you’ll also be able to select or deselect specific ones you want to include.”
TikTok also says that it’ll be expanding the feature further in the coming months. This includes doubling the keywords users can add to 200. Ultimately, this should make it easier for users to fine-tune their feeds and show them exactly what they want to see, instead of doomscrolling endlessly for hours that could affect their sleep.
