'user-controlled' originates from the combination of 'user' and 'controlled', where 'user' refers to the person operating a system and 'controlled' means having power over something.

The term 'user-controlled' evolved from the increasing need for personalization in technology, combining 'user' with 'controlled' to describe systems that allow user input.

Initially, it meant 'controlled by the user', and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.