[Feature]: Option to Disable News Feed for a More Positive Experience

[akhileshthite]

Description

The "News" feed often brings external content that can lean towards negativity. As someone who values the positive and supportive nature of the Fediverse, I would love to have an option in the settings to turn off the news feed. This would allow users who prefer to avoid such content to focus on their connections and interactions within the community.

Suggested Solution

Add a toggle option in the settings to disable the news feature. This would give users more control over the content they engage with, ensuring that only posts from people they follow are shown, without external news distractions.

Alternatives

An alternative solution could be to allow users to filter news content based on categories or topics, but the most direct solution would be simply providing a way to turn it off entirely for users who don’t wish to engage with it.

Additional Context

Many users of the Fediverse seek a more positive and niche social media experience. The constant flow of news stories can sometimes be overwhelming or discouraging, especially if the content tends to be negative. Giving users the option to disable the news feature would make the experience more personalized and in line with the community's values.

[whattherestimefor]

Thank you for this suggestion. We are sympathetic to these concerns and will consider it when we rework related areas of the app.

[akhileshthite]

Thank you for this suggestion. We are sympathetic to these concerns and will consider it when we rework related areas of the app.

Thank you

[SadieCat]

At the very least it would be nice if filters also applied to the news feed. The news feed is 99% American politics for me even though I have almost all American politics keywords on my filter list. This is actively a mental health hazard.