Abstract
This paper investigates the reciprocal relationship between social media algorithms and users, and the potential impact on the social media environment. As social media increasingly becomes an essential part of everyday life of Gen-Z, there are concerns about how its algorithms may influence users. We examine the extent to which users understand and use the algorithm, and the tactics they employ to do so. Additionally, we categorize users into content creators and content users, exploring how these questions apply to each group. By surveying 508 content users and conducting in-depth interviews with content creators, we provide both quantitative and qualitative data. Our findings indicate that users understand and actively manipulate algorithms to suit their preferences. We argue that algorithm designers must consider users' interests to ensure ethical and effective designs. This research has important implications for the future of algorithmic design.
Background
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This paper was initially written as my team’s final project for “Introduction to Social Computing” course at Yonsei University. I later had the opportunity co-author and publish it as was recommended by professor Dongwhan Kim.
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This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education. It was published in Society of Design Convergence on 2023.02.
The Paper
The full version of the paper can be read below. It can also be found in the official website for the Society of Design Convergence (DOI 10.31678/SDC99.7).
