Instagram has introduced an option for users to reset their algorithms, the mysterious set of rules and calculations that dictates the content that users see in their feeds.

Amid robust debate about the pitfalls and positives of social media, particularly as they relate to young people, Instagram’s move represents a rare step of giving users more control over their feeds. Research shows Instagram is the most popular social media app among young Australians.

What is an ‘algorithm reset’?

Instagram’s ‘recommendations’, which is its term for algorithm, is constantly learning about you and your habits and interests, through things you look at, watch and ‘like’, to then serve you more of that content.

Sometimes things can go awry, however. You might accidentally ‘like’ or share something that you’re actually not interested in, or your tastes or interests might change over time. The content creators you liked a few years ago might now be cancelled, or you might have ‘liked’ something ironically, but you don’t actually want to see more of that content regularly.

It might therefore be time for a reset. A reset doesn’t turn the algorithm off, but instead it completely refreshes it, meaning it will learn from scratch the types of posts that you would like to see and engage with.

Why is Instagram doing this?

Instagram parent company Meta, which also owns Facebook, said in a blog post that everyone on it wanted everyone on its platform to have “safe, positive, age-appropriate experiences” and that Instagram feeds should better reflect a user’s passions and interests.

The company seems to be targeting teens more than anyone else with this move. It’s already shifted its teen accounts to more private settings by default and it has been limiting exposure to harmful or sensitive material after arguably failing on that front for years. Amid an increase in pressure in Australia and elsewhere for how it protects its youngest users, Meta’s step represents a move towards giving users more control over their algorithms.