Meta will let users tweak Threads algorithms as long as they ask nicely

Only for three days, though, then it's back to the misery feed

Meta has decided to let Threads users make custom tweaks to its all-important algorithm, but don't expect your preferences to stick and do expect to bring your best manners.

The social media-cum-metaverse-cum-AI firm formerly known as Facebook announced a new Threads feature called "Dear Algo" on Wednesday, alongside news of plans to build a massive 1 GW AI datacenter in Lebanon, Indiana. 

Dear Algo will use some of Meta's AI magic to tweak the algorithm for Threads users with just a public post, written like a letter directed to the algorithm, asking it to please show them more, or less of, a particular topic. Dear Algo posts can also be reposted by others, which will have the same effect on their account. 

Once published, the Dear Algo will tweak a user's feed per their request – but only for three days due to what Meta says is a desire to keep users "connected to the most current conversations" – or most controversial, whichever makes Meta more money. 

Meta didn't give many examples of the sort of commands users can make of Dear Algo, only mentioning things like telling it to show a person more posts about a current NBA game or something as general as "show me more posts about podcasts." 

The company didn't say how specific Dear Algo posts are able to get either, so whether a user could prompt it to exclude posts expressing certain viewpoints on a particular topic, or to mute spoilers about a particular television episode while allowing conversation about the show outside spoilers wasn't made clear.

Meta's algorithms have been a source of controversy for years, ever since the company eliminated chronologically sorted Facebook feeds in favor of the company deciding how to present content to its users. 

Fast-forward more than a decade, and Meta is still taking heat for alleged racial bias in its algorithms, prioritizing content that may radicalize mass shooters, and generally promoting divisive, misery-inducing content.

Personifying its algorithm by letting users write letters to it in a bid to help them get a more tailored experience for a few days may help appease some, but it's just as possible to leave others wondering what Meta could do to make its platforms more pleasant. 

Speaking of which, Meta didn't announce any plans to bring Dear Algo posts to its other platforms, so Instagram and Facebook users will have to continue to cope with an algorithm that provides what it thinks they want without an AI-powered option to change it. 

Meta didn't respond to questions for this story. ®