Leading Experts Release Comprehensive Guidance for Improving Algorithmic Feeds
KGI released a major new report providing detailed guidance for policymakers and technology companies on improving the design of the algorithmic recommendation systems that shape billions of users’ online experiences. The report, Better Feeds: Algorithms That Put People First, was authored by a distinguished group of researchers, technologists, and policy leaders.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gaby Connor, kgi-media@georgetown.edu
New report from KGI outlines evidence-informed design and governance solutions for better recommender systems
Washington, D.C. (March 4, 2025) – The Knight-Georgetown Institute (KGI) today released a major new report providing detailed guidance for policymakers and technology companies on improving the design of the algorithmic recommendation systems that shape billions of users’ online experiences.
The report, Better Feeds: Algorithms That Put People First, was authored by a distinguished group of researchers, technologists, and policy leaders. It offers concrete proposals for shifting platform recommendation systems away from attention-maximizing designs toward optimizing for long-term user value and satisfaction.
The contributing institutions represent leading centers of expertise spanning academia, civil society, and industry, including the AI & Democracy Foundation, Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University, Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University, Integrity Institute, King’s College London, Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, KGI, Princeton University, Prosocial Design Network, Psychology of Technology Institute at USC, Purdue University, UC Berkeley, and USC Neely Center.
“Current approaches to regulating recommendation systems often create false choices between algorithmic and chronological feeds,” said Alissa Cooper of KGI, the convener of the group. “Our guidelines show how platforms and policymakers can move beyond engagement-maximizing feeds while preserving the benefits of personalization that provide value to users.”
Key guidelines cover:
- Detailed Transparency – Detailed public disclosures about how recommendation systems work, including the metrics used to measure long-term user value.
- User Choices and Defaults – Giving users greater control over their feeds, including options to switch between different recommender systems, and strong defaults to protect young users.
- Assessments of Long-Term Impact – Having platforms run long-term experiments that measure the impact of algorithmic changes.
The report comes as state, federal, and global policymakers grapple with how to address concerns about the link between online algorithms and a variety of harms. It draws on the latest research documenting these harms and demonstrating the viability of alternative design approaches that put users’ needs and preferences front and center.
The full report and additional resources are available at: https://kgi.georgetown.edu/research-and-commentary/better-feeds/
A public webinar to discuss the report is scheduled for Tuesday, March 25, from 11 a.m. – Noon ET. Details to follow.
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About the Knight-Georgetown Institute (KGI)
The Knight-Georgetown Institute (KGI) is dedicated to connecting independent research with technology policy and design. KGI serves as a central hub for the growing network of scholarship that seeks to shape how technology is used to produce, disseminate, and access information. KGI is designed to provide practical resources that policymakers, journalists, and private and public sector leaders can use to tackle information and technology issues in real time. Georgetown University and the Knight Foundation came together to launch the institute in 2024. Learn more about KGI here.