Instagram’s X rival, Threads is developing a tool that lets you ‘tag’ its algorithm to configure your feed, giving users more control over what content shows up. This feature, discovered in development, could change how people personalize their social media experience.
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A New Way To Control The Threads Algorithm
Reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi uncovered the tool, revealing code that points to new algorithm-configuration features. When asked, Instagram confirmed the project is still an internal prototype and not yet being tested with users.
Interestingly, a Threads account called @threads.algo already exists and is followed by multiple Meta engineers—hinting that this feature is in active development.
How The Tagging Tool Works
According to Paluzzi’s findings, users will be able to “tag” the @threads.algo account to tell Threads what they want to see more or less of in their feed. This approach could give people more control than the traditional “like” or “not interested” buttons used on other platforms.
Think of it as a way to shape your own feed in real time, with feedback that the algorithm can immediately respond to.
Inspired By X And Grok AI
This move echoes Elon Musk’s recent announcement about X. Musk said that by November, X’s algorithm would be “purely AI,” and users could tag Grok, X’s AI chatbot, to dynamically adjust their feeds.
Meta seems to be responding to this trend by building its own tagging-based feed customization system for Threads.
Instagram’s Bigger Push To Revamp Feeds
This Threads tool also ties into Instagram’s broader plans. The company recently announced new controls that let users pick which topics they’d like to see more or less of in their feed.
It’s part of a larger strategy to emphasize Reels, recommendations, and personalization—moving away from one-size-fits-all timelines.
Why It Matters For Users
For years, Instagram and Threads have experimented with user control. In 2022, Instagram launched Following and Favorites feeds. In 2023, Threads added the ability to switch between For You and Following.
Now, this new tagging feature could take personalization to the next level, making Threads more competitive against rivals like X while also responding to growing user demand for feed transparency and choice.
