Hack your social media algorithm with our step-by-step guide
Disrupt Your Feed with these simple tips for safe and happy scrolling…
We’ve all been guilty of doomscrolling and consuming social media content that just isn’t good for our mental wellbeing. The Female Lead’s Editorial Director Caroline Millington, who’s led social media strategy for UK and global brands over a decade, is here to help you steer what you see across platforms, with practical steps and features you should use as part of our Disrupt Your Feed campaign.
Social-media feeds are no longer just “recent posts”, they’re heavily algorithmic. These “recommender systems” use your past behaviour (what you like, comment, pause on) to decide what you’ll see.
That means what you see can drift away from your original intention. For young people especially, exposure to harmful content (self-harm, bullying, intense comparison) is a real risk. The UK regulatory landscape is tightening but YOU can take a lot of control.
With a few straightforward hacks, you can train your feed, set filters and mute accounts that no longer serve you. It takes intentional work, but you’ll get a feed that’s more aligned with your goals.
🧠 How to hack the algorithm
Platforms use past engagement signals (likes, comments, shares, watch-time, whether you click-thru on a post) to guess what you’ll like. They factor in recency, relationships (accounts you interact with), content type (video, image, text) and sometimes device/location/data from other apps.
Because of this feedback loop, if you react even passively - loitering or hate-watching - to content you dislike, the algorithm may serve more of it. That means being mindful and deliberate about what you engage with is key to improving your relationship with social media.
The good news is, platforms are offering user-controls to influence what you see. For example, TikTok now gives you more control over what shows up in your For You feed with the Manage Topics feature.
Our control as consumers and users isn’t perfect but there are ways to influence the content turning up in your feed…
🔧 Practical ‘prune & reset’ steps
Audit who you follow
Unfollow or mute accounts that regularly post content you don’t want to see or find triggering. Even if you won’t block them, muting keeps them out of your feed without them knowing. Keep following “trusted” creators you enjoy. When you engage with them, platforms will suggest similar accounts so you can build your feed and feel good about what you’re seeing.
If you need inspiration, we made a list of role models we think you should follow!
Be selective about engagement
If you like, comment, share a post, you’re signalling “show more like this”. So be selective with who you’re showing love to online. if you don’t want to see a style of post, avoid opening/watching it to the end - the sooner you swipe off, the less likely you’ll be served similar content in the future and over time your feed shifts.
Hide or mark “Not Interested”
Use the “Hide this” and “Not interested” features to train your algorithm to show less of that kind of content. Clear your search history or “explore” interactions if you’ve drifted into unwanted content. This should help your future feed. Most apps have mute, block, hide from feed options – use them.
Set time limits, use “following only” feed if available
Many platforms have both “Suggested/For You” and “Following” views - switch to “Following” where possible. Use built-in screen-time limits or scheduled breaks to avoid algorithm-driven binge loops. Browsers and mobile OS offer app usage time limits and “downtime” features, which complement algorithm control.
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Reset your recommendation history
Some platforms allow you to clear “suggested content” or reset your feed’s algorithmic memory. Then deliberately engage with the content you do want and suppress the rest.
A “fresh start” can be very helpful if your feed has gone off course and what you’re seeing just doesn’t interest you anymore.
Use filters, keyword-blocks, and content settings
If a topic repeatedly appears that you don’t want, use built-in filtering tools. Some platforms allow “keywords to hide”. You might want to turn on “sensitive content” if you find certain topics triggering too.
Check ad-preferences / data usage
Algorithms don’t only affect content posts, they drive ads too. In your settings you can often influence what ads you see (or don’t) so take a moment to check them. While ad settings won’t eliminate all targeting, user preference options matter.
Avoid the echo-chamber
If you only engage with one kind of content the feed will amplify that. So beware of falling into an echo chamber of similar content which reinforces the same messaging. Instead, encourage variety in your platforms by following diverse accounts, exploring different topics, asking friends to share content from accounts you don’t follow and occasionally “reset” what you engage with.
📱 Platform-specific controls
Here are some of the key features you should know:
You can go to Settings → Content Preferences (or What you see) and curate your feed:
Hide suggested posts with specific hashtags/words/emojis.
Choose how much “political content” you want (Less/Standard/More) from suggested posts.
Use ‘Favorites’ list (up to 50 accounts) so their posts appear higher in your feed.
Switch to ‘Following’ feed (only posts from people you follow, no content from ‘suggested’ accounts to follow).
Reset suggested content to rebuild your feed.
TikTok
The platform has rolled out controls such as ‘Manage Topics’ to say how often you want to see them.
‘Smart Keyword Filters’ allow you to block content with specific keywords / related terms you choose. Useful to remove triggers.
On videos you don’t like: tap the video → three dots → “Not interested” → (optionally) “Don’t show this again” to train the algorithm.
Settings & privacy → Settings → Preferences → Content preferences allows you to adjust:
What you see in your feed.
Sensitive content controls e.g. “Show less” posts with certain content types.
On any post you don’t like: click the three dots, choose “Not interested” or “Hide” to signal less of that content.
🎯 A quick checklist
Do a “feed audit” once a month: who you follow, what you engage with. If your feed feels negative, reset and rebuild.
Consider switching to “Following” feed (only accounts you follow) when you want a clean, safe scroll.
Don’t rely only on “Hide this” once, if you keep engaging (even accidentally), you’ll keep seeing similar stuff.
Be mindful of engagement: you’re training your feed with every like/comment/share. If you’re seeing content you don’t want, change your behaviour.
Unfollow or mute accounts that regularly post undesirable content.
Consider time limits / usage breaks to avoid algorithm-driven “doom-scrolling”.
And finally…
It takes time to hack your algorithm because it updates gradually. If you’ve previously engaged heavily with a type of content you don’t want, your feed won’t change overnight. Be patient and consistent. You can guide the feed, but you can’t fully dictate it unless you only use “following” only mode. Some suggested content will still appear.
Be aware of “quiet harm”: consuming a high volume of content that’s ok but not beneficial to your wellbeing (constant comparison, minor anxiety triggers) still matters. Control is about not just the obviously harmful, but what drains you.
Keep up with updates: Platforms change their algorithms and settings regularly so keep an eye on available updates and revisit the controls.
Promote good content: Follow accounts you do want, engage, save and share them. This positive reinforcement helps drive your feed in the direction you like.
Balance variety: While controlling your feed, don’t isolate yourself into a narrow bubble of only one kind of content. Follow diverse interests to help your mental health and prevent echo-chamber effects.
Go on, disrupt your feed - the power is in your hands!
