Lip-syncs, viral dances, comedy pranks, cute animals and news stories鈥 there are endless videos to watch on your TikTok fyp (For You Page)
But what is your fyp and how does it work? And is there any way to control your fyp or refresh it all together, to avoid feeling like you鈥檝e fallen into an echo chamber?
Your For You Page.
Can you control it?
Or reset and start over?
Tik Tok uses algorithms to show you content it thinks you鈥檙e going to like, based on accounts you follow, your location, search history and interactions
So liking, favouriting and commenting on the videos you like, means you鈥檒l see more content like this
This might sound great, but it could lead you into a social media echo chamber, where you only see content that echoes your opinion.
And if you dislike something, you can hold down the screen and select Not Interested, telling the algorithm to stop suggesting similar videos
But hold on! If you feel you鈥檙e stuck in an echo chamber on your for you page, you can start a fresh!
Head to Settings, Content Preferences and Refresh your 鈥楩or You鈥 feed. This will restore your feed - as if you鈥檙e a new user!
Your Following feed and followers will remain the same.
But warning! This can鈥檛 be reversed! Only do this if you want a total refresh of your for you page
TikTok Facts
- TikTok stormed onto the worldwide social media scene in 2017 and soon bought out the lip-syncing app, musical.ly
- TikTok is one of the biggest social networks by active monthly users, with around 1 BILLION users worldwide.
- The most followed accounts on TikTok are Khaby Lame and Charli D鈥橝melio. With creators like MrBeast and Will Smith also in the top ten spots.
- One in ten teens cited TikTok as their main source of news, according to a 2023 Ofcom report.
What is the TikTok FYP (For You Page) and how does it work?
According to TikTok, the fyp feed "is powered by a recommendation system that delivers content to each user that is likely to be of interest".
This means that it uses algorithms to suggest videos it thinks you鈥檙e going to like.
Your TikTok For You Page algorithm is based on factors such as:
- The interests you express as a new user
- Your language and location settings
- Videos you like, share, favourite or comment on
- Accounts you follow
- Content you create
- The videos you watch from start to finish
- Videos where you鈥檝e selected 鈥楴ot interested鈥
Each interaction on the platform, such as a share or follow, tells the algorithm more about what you like and what to suggest next. However, regularly seeing the same videos and creators on your feed, could make you feel as though you鈥檙e stuck in a TikTok echo chamber.
An echo chamber is an environment where someone only encounters opinions or beliefs similar to theirs, meaning their existing views are reinforced. You may find yourself in a social media echo chamber because of confirmation bias, as we all tend to prefer content that confirms and doesn鈥檛 challenge what we already believe.
So, can you control your fyp on TikTok?
Controlling what you see on your fyp is difficult as it鈥檚 technically out of your hands. However, working alongside the algorithm or 鈥榬ecommendation system鈥 can help you tailor the videos you鈥檙e recommended.
So liking, bookmarking, sharing or commenting on the videos you really like (as well as watching them all the way through), will mean you鈥檙e likely to see more content like this in the future.
Can you refresh or restart your fyp?
Short answer, yes you can!
If you feel like you鈥檙e seeing lots of the same videos or content from the similar creators, you鈥檙e probably stuck in a social media echo chamber.
And luckily for you, earlier in 2023 Tik Tok brought in a function where you can 鈥楻efresh your For You feed鈥 and basically start again, as if you鈥檙e a new user. This won鈥檛 change your following feed or followers, but it means you can start over on your fyp.
But WARNING!!! This can鈥檛 be reversed! Only do this if you want a total fyp refresh (you have been warned).
Not sure if the news you鈥檙e seeing on social media is true or false? Can you always tell if the things you see online are real or fake? Learn how to get the other side of the story with our quizzes, videos and explainers.
