No more menu diving: How a single post with ‘Dear Algo’ now controls your Threads feed | Technology News
3 min readNew DelhiFeb 12, 2026 06:39 PM IST
Meta-owned Threads has rolled out a new AI-powered feature designed to give users more control over what they see on the platform. Called “Dear Algo,” the tool allows people to directly tell the app what kind of content they want more or less of in their feed.
The idea is simple. If a user wants to tweak their feed, they can publish a public post starting with the words “Dear Algo,” followed by their request. For instance, someone interested in podcasts could write, “Dear Algo, show me more posts about podcasts.” Threads will then adjust that user’s feed based on the request for the next three days.
Unlike traditional settings buried inside menus, Dear Algo works openly. Because the request is posted publicly, other users can see it. They can also repost the same request to apply similar changes to their own feeds. While some may not be comfortable sharing their preferences so openly, Meta says the public approach is intentional. The company believes it can help users discover trending topics and join larger conversations, turning personalisation into something more social.
A more flexible way to shape your timeline
Threads says the feature is built for moments when interests shift quickly. In a blog post, the company noted that while Threads aims to help users keep up with what’s happening in real time, personal priorities can change just as fast. Someone might want more updates during a live NBA game, for example, or fewer spoilers about a TV series they have not yet watched. Dear Algo is meant to reflect those short-term changes without permanently reshaping a feed.
Most social platforms, including X and Bluesky, already offer “Not Interested” options that let users hide specific posts or topics. Dear Algo goes a step further by allowing people to actively steer the algorithm in a specific direction, even if only temporarily. This could also help Threads strengthen its image as a real-time platform, an area where X has traditionally held strong ground.
The feature is currently available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Threads says it plans to expand access to more countries in the coming months.
The launch comes shortly after a report from market intelligence firm Similarweb showed Threads surpassing X in daily mobile usage. As of January 7, 2026, Threads recorded 141.5 million daily active users on mobile, compared to X’s 125 million.
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