What Is Threads' "Dear Algo" Feature? How Hong Kong Brands Can Prepare for the New Algorithm Logic

Key Takeaways

• In February 2026, Meta launched “Dear Algo” for Threads, letting users write a public post starting with “Dear algo,” to directly tell the algorithm what they want to see more or less of (source: TechCrunch, 2026).
• The feature is currently in testing in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand only — Hong Kong has no announced rollout date yet.
• Dear Algo effectively hands part of the “what you see” decision back to users — formulaic, repetitive, or obviously promotional content becomes easier for users to actively filter out.
• Hong Kong has 2.4 million+ monthly active Threads users (source: Marketing-Interactive, 2025); once mechanics like this land locally, the bar for content authenticity only rises.
• The most practical thing Hong Kong brands can do now is invest in authenticity and conversation quality — not wait for the feature to launch before reacting.

Hong Kong brands running Threads are used to treating the algorithm as a black box to decode — when to post, how to write for reach, which formats get pushed. But in early 2026, Meta quietly changed the rules of that game: users can now talk directly to the algorithm and tell it what they want. The mechanic hasn’t reached Hong Kong yet, but it’s already worth asking: if users can actively filter out content they don’t want, what content is actually worth keeping?

This article breaks down how Dear Algo works, when it might reach Hong Kong, and how brands should prepare for the shift.

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What Is Threads’ Dear Algo?

Dear Algo is an AI-driven personalization feature Meta launched for Threads in February 2026, letting users express content preferences directly through a public post — useful whenever a user feels their feed doesn’t match their interests and wants to actively adjust what they see. Users simply write a post starting with “Dear algo,” specifying a topic they want more or less of, and the system adjusts their feed based on that request. The feature first rolled out in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, and has not yet expanded to Hong Kong (source: TechCrunch, 2026).

How Does Dear Algo Work?

Based on Meta’s public product description, the mechanics are fairly direct:

• A user writes a public post starting with “Dear algo,” stating they want to see more or less of a given topic.
• Once accepted, the feed adjusts to that preference for three days; users can review, edit, or remove past requests in settings.
• Users can also “amplify” other people’s Dear Algo requests so their own feed reflects the same preference.
• Some requests may be rejected — for example, if they involve content the platform doesn’t recommend, or if there isn’t enough matching content yet.

This differs from the older model of the algorithm passively inferring preferences from engagement signals alone — Dear Algo gives users a direct, active steering wheel.

Has Dear Algo Reached Hong Kong Yet?

Not yet. Based on current public information, Dear Algo remains in testing in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, with no announced timeline for Hong Kong or other markets (source: TechCrunch, 2026). That said, Meta’s past rollout pace for Threads features suggests Hong Kong and Taiwan typically aren’t far behind — both markets have consistently ranked among the highest in the world for adult Threads ad reach, making them markets Meta pays close attention to. For Hong Kong brands, rather than waiting for an official launch to react, this window is worth treating as a head start.

What Does Dear Algo Mean for Hong Kong Brands’ Algorithm Strategy?

At its core, Dear Algo hands part of the “what gets shown” decision back to users. The implication for brand content strategy is direct: if users can explicitly state what they don’t want to see, formulaic, repetitive, obviously-promotional content becomes easier to filter out — not just by the algorithm, but by the audience itself. This lines up with what we found in Cracking the Threads Algorithm: Why Replying to Comments Can Boost Reach by 42% — Threads’ algorithm has consistently favoured genuine, conversation-sparking content over polished, one-way promotional copy. Dear Algo simply puts that bias directly into users’ hands.

In other words, a brand’s content “resilience” increasingly depends on how genuine and worth-keeping the content itself is — not on posting time or format tricks.

How Should Brands Prepare Right Now?

Until Dear Algo reaches Hong Kong, brands don’t need to make any technical changes — but this window is a good time to focus on:

• Authenticity over posting frequency: rather than posting more often, make sure each post carries a genuine point of view or story, reducing the risk of being filtered out.
• Running conversations, not just pushing information: replying to comments and engaging in discussion has always outlasted one-way promotional posts — a principle that only gets more important as algorithms hand filtering power to users.
• Leaning on genuine user (KOC) voices: official brand accounts inherently carry a promotional tone, while content shared naturally by real users is far harder to classify as “unwanted” under any algorithm logic. We cover this in more depth in Threads KOC Seeding.
• Watching Meta’s rollout pace: Dear Algo could expand to more markets within months — building a habit of authenticity-first content now is safer than scrambling to adjust later.

FAQ

What is Threads’ Dear Algo feature?

Dear Algo is an AI personalization feature Meta launched for Threads in February 2026. Users write a public post starting with “Dear algo,” to directly tell the algorithm what they want to see more or less of, adjusting their feed accordingly.

How does Dear Algo work?

Once a request is submitted, the feed adjusts to that preference for three days. Users can review, edit, or remove requests in settings, and can also amplify other users’ requests. Some requests may be rejected due to content policy or insufficient matching content.

Is Dear Algo available in Hong Kong yet?

Not yet. The feature remains in testing in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, with no announced rollout date for Hong Kong (source: TechCrunch, 2026).

Can brands use Dear Algo to boost their own content?

The feature is designed for users to express personal content preferences, not for brands to promote themselves. Brands attempting to game this mechanic risk being seen through, which damages trust.

Do brands still need to invest in content quality once Dear Algo launches?

Yes — more than ever. Dear Algo simply makes it more direct for users to actively filter out unwanted content. How genuine and worth-keeping a brand’s content is remains the fundamental factor behind reach.

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If you want a more systematic way to turn Threads conversations into brand reach, start with our free guide, 5 Threads Growth Tactics You Can Copy Today — tap the bio link to get the full guide.

Last updated: 2026-08-28