Instagram build your own algorithm

The older I get, the more disenchanted I become with consumer social applications. Perhaps it’s a sign that I’m maturing or developing a healthier relationship with these platforms, but I could also just be getting older. Who knows.

One thing I do know is that refining your algorithm on Instagram is hard. If you’re not careful or go down one too many rabbit holes, you’ll suddenly only see lemurs on your explore page. Curating the algorithm you want takes work.

But what if it didn’t have to? I can imagine an experience where people are able to build their algorithm with specific keywords and more granular preferences. This idea started as a joke, but I can imagine users loving this idea, especially if there were an option to create and switch between multiple different ones. I’m imagining going from recipes to comedy content to instructional videos.

This is one of those wild ideas that, if properly implemented, would be useful, though giving the user this much control would likely run counter to these monolithic social platforms.

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