4 hours ago - Technology
Clean your feed: Here's how to rebuild your X
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Welcome back to our mini-series on cleaning your social media feeds. See part one (TikTok), two (Instagram) and three (YouTube).
Your X feed is designed to make you emotional.
📱Why it matters: X's algorithm intentionally pushes posts that spark strong reactions, making your feed feel angrier and more chaotic. AI chatbot Grok makes this worse by frequently surfacing misleading content.
- Understanding that the platform's algorithm rewards posts that spark emotion and engagement can help you stay more vigilant in seeking accuracy or nuance.
- If you're like me, you probably miss the old Twitter — especially as X's algorithm pushes posts that are vague or engagement bait.
The quickest fix: Skip the "For You" page and stick to the "Following" tab.
- But be careful. A recent update made the Following tab default to the "most popular" tweets in that category. On a desktop, you can click the small arrow on the "Following" tab and toggle between "popular" and "recent" depending on your preference.
Here are some other ways to clean up your feed and settings:
- Lists, lists, lists: Curate lists of accounts you actually want to follow. Tap the "…" at the bottom of the main menu, select "Lists" and start building. It's the most reliable way to control what you see.
- Adjust interests: If you're committed to the FYP, you can fine-tune it. On mobile, go to "Settings," then "Privacy and Safety," and hit "Content You See." Then select "Interests" to classify topics no longer relevant to you. You can also click the "For You" heading and check or uncheck interests you want to see.
- Train the algorithm: Tap "Not interested in this post" for content you want to see less of. It should have a gradual impact, though users report mixed results.
- Mute aggressively: In "Settings," head to "Mute and block." Silence accounts or specific keywords.
- Watch what you click: X's algorithm learns fast. If you watch one video on Claude, your feed could quickly be filled with AI enthusiasts and creators (speaking from experience).
- Wipe old posts: Services like Redact or Deletetweets can clear your history. They require access to account information, and that's your judgment call.
The bottom line: If your X timeline feels distorted, it probably is. Build the one you actually want.
