Google’s ‘Tailor Your Feed’ Lab Lets You Customize Discover
▼ Summary
– Google is testing a new “Tailor your feed” Labs experiment in the US that allows users to customize their Discover feed by specifying content preferences.
– Users can activate the feature on Android via the Google app’s Labs section and then input requests for topics, sources, or content styles they want to see or avoid.
– The tool lets users add, remove, or fine-tune content, such as requesting training advice for a goal or excluding topics like politics.
– It supports conversational input, similar to modern chatbots, and the AI updates the feed instantly while remembering user preferences.
– This feature is currently in early testing and is only available in US English, with users able to adjust settings via a history icon linked to My Activity.
Google is currently trialing a new experimental feature called “Tailor your feed” within its Discover platform. This Labs initiative provides users with direct control over the content they encounter, allowing them to explicitly state their interests and dislikes to shape their personalized news and information stream. The goal is to move beyond algorithmic assumptions and give people a more conversational way to refine their digital experience.
To access this test on Android, open the Google app and tap the Labs beaker icon located in the top-left corner. Scrolling down will reveal the “Tailor your feed” option. After activating the toggle, a simple swipe down refreshes the Discover feed. Users might see a “Try now” button or find the option within an overflow menu, which launches a distinctive prompt box.
This interface features a hint that says “Ask for the kind of content you want” and includes a helpful carousel of suggestions at the top. One prominent example is “Stop showing me negative news,” highlighting the feature’s focus on user well-being. The system is designed to understand natural language requests covering topics, specific sources, or even general “vibes.” You can also share personal goals and projects to inform the recommendations.
The functionality is versatile, serving several key purposes. It allows for adding new interests, such as requesting training advice after signing up for a marathon or asking for updates on college basketball. Equally important is the ability to remove unwanted content, like telling the feed you no longer need travel tips after a trip or that you need a break from political news. The tool also lets you fine-tune existing content streams, for instance, by specifying that you like recipes but require them to be dairy-free.
Furthermore, you can include specific preferences about publishers, creators, or content formats. Asking for more articles from a particular newspaper like The Washington Post, requesting more meal prep videos, or even instructing the feed to “feel calm and cozy” are all possible interactions. Similar to modern chatbots, the feature engages in a conversational manner, noting your examples and allowing for further customization through follow-up dialogue.
According to Google, the AI behind Discover will update your feed instantly based on these instructions and will remember your preferences for future sessions, all of which can be adjusted at any time. A history icon in the prompt box’s corner provides a link to the My Activity page for review. This “Tailor your feed” experiment is still in early testing and is currently available only for users in the United States with their language set to English.
(Source: 9to5 Google)
