YouTube’s Custom Feeds Give You More Control Over the Algorithm
YouTube is rolling out a 'Custom Feeds' feature that allows users to influence their algorithmic homepage using natural language prompts. This update provides users with more granular control over the content they see, moving beyond simple engagement signals.
Why it matters
This feature represents a shift in platform design, giving users more agency over algorithmic curation in response to long-standing demands for transparency.
As part of its Made on YouTube event Wednesday, Google released several new features, including a Custom Feeds button for adjusting what videos pop up on your front page. It’s a rare chance for users to directly tweak their algorithmic feed on YouTube, in ways that go beyond just pressing thumbs up on a video or blocking a creator.
To try it out, users can click the Your custom feeds button below the search bar and type a request for the feed they’d like to see. YouTube uses large language models to process your request and whip up a freshly personalized homepage. “I want a rainy Shanghai vibe: café jazz, street food, and vlogs,” read one of my suggested prompts.
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