Meta, the parent company of these social media giants, has just announced some major changes that will provide users in Europe with more control over their content consumption. In a recent blog post, Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs, unveiled the new features aimed at giving users the power to opt out of the platform’s recommendation algorithms.
Starting now, European users can enjoy their Facebook and Instagram experiences without the interference of personalized content recommendations. This means that you can access Reels, Stories, and Search features while seeing only the content from people you follow, presented in chronological order from newest to oldest. No more algorithmically-ranked content cluttering your feeds!
These changes come as a response to the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a groundbreaking piece of regulation that is set to reshape how tech companies handle content moderation on their platforms. In compliance with the DSA, Meta is taking proactive steps to allow users more control over their experience, in line with the growing call for personalized content autonomy.
That’s not all, though. A number of adjustments made to increase transparency and user empowerment demonstrate Meta’s dedication to DSA compliance. Meta is stepping up its efforts to meet the DSA criteria by the end of this month with over 1,000 devoted personnel working on these upgrades.
Some of the notable changes include:
Expanded Ad Library: Offering greater visibility into ads running on Meta platforms.
Detailed Algorithm Insights: Providing users with more information about recommendation algorithms.
Stricter Teen Targeting: Introducing new limits on how advertisers can target teenagers.
Simplified Content Reporting: Making it easier for users to report illegal content.
Enhanced Transparency in Content Moderation: Giving EU users additional information about content moderation choices.
These changes build on earlier steps Meta has taken to give users more control over their experience. Instagram rolled out a fully chronological feed in March 2022, and Facebook followed suit with the introduction of a “Feeds” tab a few months later in July.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Meta is at the forefront of change, responding to the EU’s call for increased user autonomy and transparency. Stay tuned as these updates roll out, empowering European users to curate their social media experiences like never before! 
