Children’s sensemaking of algorithms and data flows across YouTube and social media
Stephanie M. Reich is a Professor in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine with additional appointments in Informatics and Psychological Science. She is also the Director of the Development in Social Context (DISC) Lab and core faculty in the Connected Learning Lab. As a developmental, community psychologist, Stephanie’s research is focused on understanding and improving the social context of children’s lives through exploring and intervening with the direct and indirect influences on the child, specifically through family, digital, health care and school environments.
Information and Learning Sciences
ISSN: 2398-5348
Article publication date: 1 August 2024
Issue publication date: 28 October 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore children’s cognitions about data flows online and their understandings of algorithms, often referred to as algorithmic literacy or algorithmic folk theories, in their everyday uses of social media and YouTube. The authors focused on children ages 8 to 11, as these are the ages when most youth acquire their own device and use social media and YouTube, despite platform age requirements.
Design/methodology/approach
Nine focus groups with 34 socioeconomically, racially and ethnically diverse children (8–11 years) were conducted in California. Groups discussed data flows online, digital privacy, algorithms and personalization across platforms.
Findings
Children had several misconceptions about privacy risks, privacy policies, what kinds of data are collected about them online and how algorithms work. Older children had more complex and partially accurate theories about how algorithms determine the content they see online, compared to younger children. All children were using YouTube and/or social media despite age gates and children used few strategies to manage the flow of their personal information online.
Practical implications
The paper includes implications for digital and algorithmic literacy efforts, improving the design of privacy consent practices and user controls, and regulation for protecting children’s privacy online.
Originality/value
Research has yet to explore what socioeconomically, racially and ethnically diverse children understand about datafication and algorithms online, especially in middle childhood.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was partially funded by a University of California, Irvine Public Impact Fellowship.
Citation
Starks, A. and Reich, S.M. (2024), "Children’s sensemaking of algorithms and data flows across YouTube and social media", Information and Learning Sciences, Vol. 125 No. 9, pp. 673-692. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-12-2023-0201
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited