YouTube Tests Manual Control Over Recommendation Feed

YouTube has begun a large-scale test of two new features designed to give users and creators more control over content. One allows for manually tuning recommendations on the homepage, while the other lets creators pre-screen videos for potential Community Guidelines strikes.

The video platform is experimenting with an option called "Your personalized feed," which will appear on the homepage as a separate tab. The idea is that users can specify what content they're interested in by typing in a text query. This approach could become a more practical alternative to constantly using the "Not Interested" buttons, which don't always change what's in the feed. The initiative aims to solve the problem of the platform showing too much similar content that doesn't match a person's actual interests after they've watched just a few videos on a single topic.

At the same time, YouTube is expanding access for creators to another experimental feature—the ability to pre-check a video for compliance with Community Guidelines. This tool works during the upload process, similar to the copyright check. If the system detects a potential violation, the creator will get a warning and can make edits before publishing. The creator also retains the option to publish the video as-is, but in that case, the video may be restricted or receive a strike after moderation.

It's important to note that this check is not comprehensive and may not catch all potential violations, so creators are still advised to familiarize themselves with the platform's rules on their own.

These steps will provide more nuanced tools for managing one's digital space. If the testing proves successful, the new features could become a standard part of YouTube, simplifying the experience for both viewers and content creators.