Learning in and about a filtered universe: young people’s awareness and control of algorithms in social media

Abstract

Whereas ‘Web 2.0 technology’ has pushed the learning agenda towards connectivity and boundary crossing, in the current ‘new new media ontology’ the fear that algorithms might block our avenues to knowledge and connections prevails. In response to this, media scholars have argued that knowledge based on the algorithmic experiences of users is key to reformulating the agenda of critical media education. In this study of the algorithmic experiences of secondary education students in the Netherlands, we want to contribute to building such knowledge, making use of the concepts of algorithmic imagination, power and critical evaluation. Results show students build situational, practical-experiential knowledge of algorithmic workings that is closely in line with the features of the interface of the social media platforms they use. Implications for media literacy include providing students with system-level awareness and agency, including insights into the societal-political consequences of algorithmic workings.