Facebook Changes Its Algorithms to Make Its Feed More TikTokish

How is Facebook feed generated? This question has raised lots of issues and discussions, including political concerns and those of heavy advertising and increasing engagement by all means necessary. Now, according to internal memos, Facebook is about to restructure its users’ feeds in favor of new content to discover, like TikTok does.

The new feed will differ from the current one at least in two crucial aspects. First, it will resemble the Discover tab by TikTok that loads by default. After a post or two by those you know and follow, Discover fills the feed with posts you may like because of their similarity to those you like already. Second, the new feed will contain more videos from Facebook/Instagram Reels. This (according to the plan) will increase the engagement. The recommended content will also be easier to share to friends personally.

These points are emphasized in the internal memo by Tom Alison, the head of the Facebook app. This step may help Facebook shrug away the image of “my daddy’s social media”. On the other hand, we know how hard it is for users to accept the removal of something cozy and familiar.

The decision, though, it not unanimously approved by Facebook itself. Many employees consider this a step too far from the original concept that implies Facebook is a place to connect with those you know or at least follow. Offering formally unrelated stuff (even if the user is likely to like it) changes the idea completely. If you also disapprove, the silver lining may come as so-called “Mr. T”, the project that is now also reportedly growing in Facebook. This project is meant to return to the most logical chronological feed that only shows posts from your friends or pages and groups you follow.

How do you feel about this potential new feed? Would you like to discover more new content there, or isn’t that what you’re in it for? Tell us what you think in the comments section below!