TikTok launches “Control your scroll” features to manage the content you see

All praise the algorithm! It’s remarkable to me how a few lines of code have created “the algorithm” that determines what we all see on social media and perhaps most importantly how amazingly good it is at picking content for us. After all, it’s that tailored feed that keeps us scrolling and coming back for more.

But sometimes things creep into your feed that might not sit well with you. Perhaps you’ve seen enough of that topic, or are sick of that trend. Perhaps you recognise that it’s that one genre or niche that’s creating an addiction and taking you away from your work or family.

Well, TikTok has announced a range of features that will help you better guide your feed, as well as encouraging time away from the screen.

Manage Topics on TikTok

This new Manage Topics feature is really quite simple – it’s a set of topics like “Creative Arts”, “Food and Drinks”, “Humor”, “Lifestyle” or “Sports” that each present a slider on the screen. You can then adjust the slider to the left to see less of a topic, or to the right to see more.

A really simple way for you to manage your own feed.

Of course the Algorithm will learn from this and customise what it shows, but for me, I’ll be dialling up that Humor slider and dialling down on Fashion and Beauty ASAP.

This will be particularly useful to combat the change in your feed after a week of silly shared videos from your kids, but just as importantly if you think you’re perhaps seeing too much in the Fitness space that is making you judge your own health in a bad way, then dial it down – even for a while.

Keyword Filters

The ability to “mute” keywords is not new on Social Media, Twitter did this many years ago, but on TikTok we don’t think first of words because the videos just appear.

However, if there’s a topic that makes you squeamish or you’ve tired of, perhaps you’re trying to ignore – like Politics – then the new Keyword Filter will suit you.

Plus, it’s smart – with suggestions of “Similar Keywords” to the ones you directly enter.

Individuals can block up to 200 keywords in a filter, plus you can choose in which feeds they are blocked, including your For You, Following or Live feeds.

Tell TikTok I’m “Not Interested” in this.

Handy little trick this one, you can long-press on the screen and choose Not Interested in any video, topic or trend.

This appears in the screen that has other share options, as well as the save, customise and playback features.

But a simple Not Interested button – I’ll take it. Let’s face it, the algorithm isn’t always right.

Start over and Refresh your feed

Your mates have sent you so much rubbish, or you’ve gone down a serious rabbit hole and it’s time to reset?

Boom – “Refresh your Feed” is a feature to allowing you to completely reset your feed, and just start over.

Not new, but worth highlighting!

Unwind at Night

TikTok will now use “Sleep hours” to prompt you to take a break – even to take an in-app guided meditation.

Adults can turn this on in settings, for Teens under 18, it is on by default after 10pm and after the first reminder a second harder to dismiss full screen prompt is shown.

Supporting Mental Health groups

And to encourage more mental health awareness on the platform, TikTok is also giving $75,000 worth of advertising credits to six Aussie mental health organisations.

This will allow the to create more content that targets mental health awareness and outreach among TikTok users.