NAIROBI - YouTube is currently testing an experimental feature named “Your Custom Feed,” designed to give users more direct control over the video recommendations on their home page. Announced in late November 2025, this feature allows a select group of users to input conversational prompts to instantly reshape the content suggested to them by the platform's powerful algorithm.

For years, YouTube's recommendation system has been a primary driver of content discovery, but it has also faced criticism for creating a passive viewing experience where the algorithm dictates content, sometimes inaccurately. A user watching a few videos on a specific topic out of curiosity could find their entire feed dominated by similar content for days. The “Your Custom Feed” feature is a direct attempt to address this by shifting from an algorithm-led model to a user-directed one.

According to statements from YouTube, users included in the experiment will see a new “Your Custom Feed” chip next to the standard “Home” tab. By clicking this and typing a simple prompt, such as “more cooking videos” or “less political commentary,” the home feed will reconfigure to match the request. This AI-powered approach is similar to initiatives being tested by other major social platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Threads, which are also exploring ways to give users more explicit control over their content feeds.

Implications for Kenyan Viewers and Creators

For Kenya's rapidly growing YouTube audience, this feature could be a significant development. A 2024 report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism noted that YouTube is an increasingly popular platform for news consumption in Kenya, with its use growing by 8% to 59% among news consumers. Greater control over the home feed would allow Kenyan users to more easily filter for specific types of local or international news, educational content, or entertainment, tailoring their experience to their immediate interests rather than their entire watch history.

This shift also presents new dynamics for Kenyan content creators. As of February 2022, Kenya was named Africa's fastest-growing market for YouTube content creators, with 400 channels having surpassed 100,000 subscribers. The success of these creators has heavily relied on understanding and optimizing for YouTube's recommendation algorithm to maximize watch time and engagement. An algorithm that can be instantly redirected by a user's prompt means creators may need to focus even more on producing high-quality, clearly-defined niche content that users will actively seek out.

While the feature is still in a limited testing phase with no confirmed date for a wider rollout, its introduction signals a broader industry trend towards greater personalization and user agency. YouTube has experimented with feed customization options before, including topic filters and color-based feeds for Premium subscribers, but “Your Custom Feed” represents a more advanced, AI-driven approach.

A Move Towards Transparent Algorithms

The development of user-configurable algorithms reflects a growing acknowledgment by tech platforms that personalization should not be a mysterious process. By allowing users to provide direct input, YouTube is making a move towards more transparency in how its recommendation engine works. However, the ultimate success of the feature will depend on how effectively the AI interprets user prompts and whether the majority of users will actively engage with such controls.

As the digital landscape in Kenya continues to evolve, with over 70% of the population consuming video content online, features that enhance user experience are critical. Should “Your Custom Feed” become a permanent feature, it could fundamentally alter how Kenyans discover and interact with content, placing more power in the hands of the viewer and presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for the nation's vibrant creator community.

The test is ongoing, and further details on its expansion are expected pending the results of the current experimental phase. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED.