YouTube offers new control options that allow users to have better video suggestions. Despite the AI behind the recommendation system that selects the best videos based on your interests, YouTube has decided to put less automation into it by giving users a bit of power.
In recent months, YouTube has changed its algorithm several times to improve recommendations. Videos deemed "toxic" are now better filtered, but all is not yet perfect. YouTube has decided to go the extra mile by coming up with new settings that give users more control.
YouTube now allows better management of video recommendations
Now you can more easily explore topics and videos that you might find interesting on YouTube. New filtering options are being rolled out. Internet users will have the possibility choose the types of topics or channels they want to see in the recommendations on the home page and in the “To be continued” section.
You also the ability to exclude certain channels from recommendations, as the platform announces in a note published on its blog. Videos posted to these channels will still be available to you, but they will no longer appear in recommendations. YouTube specifies that these new options do not however eliminate the role of the algorithm who manages the suggestions. AI will always be at the heart of recommendations, but your choices will help guide it better.
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In addition, the platform has decided to be more transparent on the videos that appear in the suggestions. With the new YouTube update, you will be able to know why a video is suggested to you. It could be because several people with similar tastes to yours have watched it, among other examples.
Finally, YouTube is deploying these new features in a special way. The one allowing you to choose your centers of interest is available now in the Android version of YouTube for English speakers. The option to remove channels from recommendations is available to everyone on Android and iOS. Finally, the transparency options are available for the moment only on iOS and will soon be on Android.
None of the new features are currently available in the web version of YouTube, but the platform promises that they will be soon.
