TikTok users don't have as much agency over their FYPs as they think
A study presented at the AAAI Conference reveals that TikTok's 'not interested' button reduces unwanted content by about 84%, but it is deliberately hidden and requires consistent user feedback to prevent algorithm relapse.
Researchers created 90 cloned TikTok accounts to investigate how much control users actually have over their For You Page (FYP). They ran experiments comparing the algorithm's response to different user signals, focusing on three popular topics: cooking, fitness, and sports betting.
The 'not interested' button proved most effective, reducing unwanted content by approximately 84%, compared to just a 48% reduction from merely skipping videos. However, the authors note that this button is deliberately hidden from users, making it less accessible.
Furthermore, the algorithm tends to relapse, gradually reintroducing previously blocked content. Even brief re-engagement with such content can cause the algorithm to flood the FYP again. "It works in the beginning," said researcher Piotr Sapiezynski. "When you start saying 'I don't want to see this,' the platform might show you fewer, but then it slowly puts it back. If you don't keep saying 'I really don't want to see it,' it balloons back."
The researchers emphasize that users must provide consistent feedback to maintain control. They also criticize official data access methods—both TikTok's API and the EU's researcher data—because they only provide aggregated data, not individual timelines, which are necessary for studying personalization. The study was presented at the Twentieth International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media in 2026.
