As personalisation in news becomes commonplace, algorithms now work alongside editors and users to shape curation. Yet while users inadvertently influence these systems through their actions, they are rarely given the clarity or tools needed to understand or guide how personalisation works. This can limit their sense of control and, at worst, expose them to limiting or unhealthy news consumption patterns.

This project investigated how public service news organisations can design personalisation that strengthens user agency: the ability to understand, influence, and act meaningfully within personalised news environments, while still benefiting from editorial oversight and the affordances of algorithmic recommenders.

Using surveys, interviews, and a user study supported by a custom-built algorithmic news recommender provotype (a provocative design artefact) called NAIRS, the research examined how users perceive their role, what they expect from personalised news, and how to best balance algorithmic personalisation, editorial values, and user control. A central challenge identified is the opacity of current systems, as users often cannot connect their actions to the recommendations they receive. At the same time, interfaces typically lack intuitive controls that would allow users to shape their news experience with intention.

This project contributes design implications for public service media aiming to deliver personalisation that is more transparent, trustworthy, and responsive to user needs. By clarifying how the system responds to user behaviour and providing meaningful ways for users to exercise agency, it argues that public service personalisation can better adapt to and serve diverse audiences while upholding editorial responsibilities.