So, Meta wants you to have a little chat with its algorithm. Yes, you read that correctly. On its X-killer app, Threads, you can now literally post a message starting with “Dear Algo” to tell the feed what you want to see. It’s a fascinating, slightly bizarre move in the endless battle for our attention. For years, we’ve been at the mercy of these phantom codes, doomscrolling through content selected by opaque systems. Now, Meta is cracking the door open, just a smidgen, to see what happens when we talk back.
This isn’t just a gimmick. It’s a direct response to a growing demand for algorithmic transparency and greater user control. We’re moving away from the era where we were passive recipients of whatever the platform decided was “engaging.” The question is, is this a genuine step towards a more user-centric internet, or just a clever new way for the machine to learn our desires even more intimately?
What Even Is Algorithmic Transparency?
Let’s be clear. Algorithmic transparency doesn’t mean Meta is about to hand over the source code to its prized recommendation engine. Tech companies guard those algorithms like they’re the Crown Jewels. Think of it less as getting the chef’s secret recipe and more like the restaurant finally telling you why it keeps putting sprouts on every dish.
It’s about understanding the logic, not the code. Why did you see your cousin’s holiday snaps but not a major news story? Why is your feed suddenly full of cat videos after you liked one single post? Transparency gives users signals and controls to understand and influence these decisions. This builds trust, which in today’s cynical social media landscape, is a currency more valuable than likes.
From Passive Scrolling to Active Curation
This brings us to the core of the strategy: feed personalization. Every social platform tweaks your feed to maximise the time you spend on their app. The longer you scroll, the more ads they can show you. Simple. But what if the algorithm gets it wrong? You might get bored and leave.
Enter Meta’s new experiment on Threads, the ‘Dear Algo’ feature. As initially reported by TechCrunch, the feature is Meta’s attempt to solve the personalisation problem by simply asking.
Whispering to the Machine: The ‘Dear Algo’ Feature
Here’s how it works. You’re on Threads, and you’re suddenly obsessed with, say, vintage synthesizers. Or maybe you’re just sick of seeing political arguments. You can create a new post that starts with the magic words: ‘Dear Algo’, followed by your request.
– ‘Dear Algo, show me more posts about retro gaming.’
– ‘Dear Algo, please show me fewer posts about celebrity gossip.’
The algorithm will then adjust your ‘For you’ feed to reflect that preference for three days. It’s a temporary tweak, acknowledging that our interests are fleeting. What’s crucial, and strategically brilliant, is that these requests are public. Anyone can see what you’ve asked for, and they can even repost it to signal their agreement. Meta says this is to foster a “community conversation around content discovery,” which is a very polished way of saying they’re publicly crowdsourcing data on user desires.
Is This Real User Control or Just an Illusion?
Giving users a direct line to the algorithm feels like a significant step for user control. For the first time on a major platform, you’re not just passively clicking ‘see less of this’; you’re actively articulating what you want more of. It provides a sense of agency that has been sorely lacking in our relationship with social media AI.
But let’s put on our skeptical hats for a moment. This is Meta, after all.
– The Pros: It’s simple, intuitive, and feels empowering. Instead of navigating complex settings menus, you use the platform’s core function—posting—to adjust your experience. It’s a much lower barrier to entry for customisation than, say, the more technically demanding custom feeds on Bluesky.
– The Cons: These public requests are, themselves, content. They feed the very machine you’re trying to direct. Meta isn’t just listening to your request; it’s learning from the language you use, observing how many people repost it, and gathering a treasure trove of data on real-time user sentiment. It’s a beautifully designed feedback loop for the Meta algorithms.
The Social Algorithm Arms Race
Meta doesn’t operate in a vacuum. This move is a direct shot across the bow at its rivals, particularly X (the platform formerly known as Twitter). While X offers basic ‘For You’ and ‘Following’ tabs, its personalisation tools are blunt instruments by comparison. Bluesky has custom feeds, but they require a level of user effort that has limited their mainstream adoption.
Threads’ ‘Dear Algo’ is a masterclass in user experience design. It’s conversational, public, and viral by nature. This feature alone could be a significant differentiator as it battles for dominance. The numbers already point in Meta’s favour. According to data cited by TechCrunch, Threads reportedly hit 141.5 million daily active mobile users in January 2026, surpassing X’s 125 million. A feature this intuitive and engaging will only widen that gap.
Turning Personalisation into a Community Sport
The truly clever part is making the requests public. When someone posts ‘Dear Algo, more Formula 1 content, please,’ other F1 fans can see and amplify that signal. It transforms a solitary act of feed personalization into a communal one.
It creates micro-communities around shared interests, all visible to Meta. They get to see which topics have passionate, vocal followings that could be better served. It’s a far more organic and powerful way to understand user cohorts than any survey could ever be.
The Future is Conversational
So, where is this heading? The ‘Dear Algo’ feature feels like the start of a major trend. We are likely moving towards a future where we interact with algorithms conversationally. Instead of digging through settings, you’ll just tell your device or app what you want. Think “Hey Google, plan me a weekend trip” but for your social feed: “Hey Threads, I’m in a serious mood today, show me some long-form analysis and less fluff.”
For Meta algorithms, this is an invaluable test bed. The learnings from Threads could easily be applied to the recommendation engines for Instagram Reels or Facebook’s main feed. They are teaching a billion users how to train their own personal AI.
This brings us back to the central theme: trust. By creating a semblance of algorithmic transparency, Meta is trying to repair a relationship with users that has been fractured by years of scandals over data privacy and manipulation. Giving us a button—or in this case, a phrase—to feel in control is a powerful gesture.
But what do you think? Is this feature a genuine move towards putting users first, or is it just a more sophisticated way for the algorithm to learn your every whim? Will you be talking to the algo?
