Threads’ new ‘Dear Algo’ feature lets you tell the algorithm what you want to see

Threads now lets users in the US adjust what is recommended in their feed by writing “Dear Algo” in a post and explaining what they’re looking for. The feature is part of a bigger push across Meta’s platforms to give users more control over the types of posts that are recommended to them.

Dear Algo was inspired by users making posts with the phrase to try to influence what they see before Meta made an official version. The feature has already been available in testing in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and now that test is launching in the US. “We’ll continue iterating based on community feedback before rolling it out more broadly,” Meta spokesperson Alec Booker tells The Verge.

To use the feature in a public post, type “Dear Algo” and then a description of what you want Threads’ algorithm to show you more of. Once you make your request, the change will stick for three days so you can see how it changes your feed. If you want to see more of the new content in your feed over the long term, interact with those posts.

You can also ask that Threads show you less of a certain type of topic, too. And if you see someone else’s Dear Algo request and want what they ask for to show up in your feed, you can repost that post.

“We want Dear Algo to make Threads feel more personal — whether you’re following trending topics or exploring niche interests,” Meta says in a blog post. “It’s another way we’re helping you find the latest conversations that are relevant to you.”

Last July, Meta named Connor Hayes the dedicated app lead for Threads, which had previously been led by Instagram boss Adam Mosseri. This year, Meta is focused on making Threads “more timely, more dynamic, and essential in people’s daily lives,” Hayes says in an interview with The Verge. Threads surpassed 400 million monthly active users in August.

Meta has started showing ads globally on Threads as of last month, but Hayes says that the company will “continue to be conservative and careful” about expanding how prominent ads are on the platform until “we feel like we’ve made the app really, really valuable for you, but also made the ads really, really valuable for you.”