Description
In this study of the algorithmic experiences of secondary education students in the Netherlands, our aim is to contribute to insights on how students gain knowledge on the algorithmic workings of social media and their awareness of how such working might feed into the phenomenon of ‘filter bubbles’. In addition we use this knowledge to build our own educational application: The FilterBubble App.
Our methodology included a walk-through exercise and two vignettes. Both methodologies were designed to facilitate reflection on social media experiences in relation to the phenomenon of filter bubbles. Our sample consisted of 18 Dutch pre-vocational secondary school students aged 12-16 years who were frequent users of Tiktok, Whatsapp, Youtube, Instagram, Discord, Snapchat or
Reddit.
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. The young users in our study mostly seem to form their imaginations of algorithms based on their ‘smooth’ and positive experiences with the workings of algorithms, which again seemed to be
closely related to a sense of control over, and trainability of, the algorithm. Furthermore students rarely reported awareness of the potential problematic nature of information filtering. In this paper, implications for critical media literacy are discussed. We use a CHAT perspective to analyse how
students can be provided with system level awareness and agency, as well as insights into the
societal-political consequences of algorithmic workings.
Extended summary (all presentation types except symposia) (500-800 words)
At the background of this study is the concern many have voiced that platform logics based on surveillance and maximizing the attention of the user, intervene in traditional pedagogies (Perrota et al., 2021), and that critical education is in danger as a result of the logics and practices of
datafication and automation (Sefton Green and Pangrazi, 2021). Algorithmic workings of platforms might prevent us accessing particular knowledge and insights and lock us into ‘filter bubbles’ (Pariser, 2011) or ‘echo chambers’ (Jamieson and Capella, 2008), that limit access to information and opinion formation in ways that are outside our control and consciousness.
In this study of the algorithmic experiences of secondary education students in the Netherlands, our focus is on how students gain knowledge on the algorithmic workings of social media, and in particular their awareness of how such working might feed into the phenomenon of ‘filter bubbles’, online segregation and filtering of information.
Theoretically, we build upon studies that have argued for a reformulating critical media literacy (Sefton-Green and Pangrazio, 2021; Pangrazio and Sefton Green, 2020; Jacques et al., 2020; Perez Vallejos et al., 2017), work on understanding and experiencing algorithms (Eslami et al., 2015; Klawitter & Hargittai, 2018; Swart, 2021; Bucher, 2017; Cotter, 2019) while applying a CHAT perspective in thinking about how new technological infrastructures challenge the way we learn
(Ünlüsoy e.a. 2022) and how such perspectives should be integrated in critical media literacy programs.
The context in which this research is carried out is a project in which we are building an educational app which allows students to reflect on the algorithmic workings of their social media apps, by teaching them to build their own platform: The Filter Bubble App.
Our aim is 1. to contribute to insights on how students gain knowledge on the algorithmic workings of social media and their awareness of how such working might feed into the phenomenon of ‘filter bubbles’ while 2. also using this knowledge for our own educational app.
Our methodology included a walk-through exercise and two vignettes. Both methodologies were
designed to facilitate reflection on social media experiences in relation to the phenomenon of filter bubbles. Our sample consisted of 18 Dutch pre-vocational secondary school students aged 12-16 years who were frequent users of Tiktok, Whatsapp, Youtube, Instagram, Discord, Snapchat or Reddit.
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. The young users in our study mostly seem to form their imaginations of algorithms based on their ‘smooth’ and positive experiences with the workings of algorithms, which again seemed to be closely related to a sense of control over, and trainability of, the algorithm. Furthermore students
rarely reported awareness of the potential problematic nature of information filtering. The results showed that students did not apply their knowledge on algorithmic awareness to the possibility of receiving one-sided information on controversial issues, and the risk of being confronted with limited perspectives and opinions. Surprisingly, as our results show, students rarely use their
algorithmic awareness and imaginations in terms of how they reason about such risks. Even though they were aware that their content was being filtered by their social media platforms, they still claimed that they were presented with ‘the whole story’, and with multi-sided content.
In conclusion, in this paper, implications for critical media literacy are discussed. We use a CHAT perspective to analyse how students can be provided with system level awareness and agency, as well as insights into the societal-political consequences of algorithmic workings.
How interaction with the participants is planned. We present our conceptual perspective, goals, methodology and key data after which we engage
in a dialogue with the audience about the key challenges this research addresses on the reformulation of critical media literacy and how a CHAT perspective is able to shed light on this.
| Period | 30 Aug 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | ISCAR 2024 |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Rotterdam, NetherlandsShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |