This article investigates the relationship between adolescents’ algorithm literacy and their behavior on social media platforms. Using a mixed-methods approach, including focus groups, a mobile diary study, and a representative survey of German adolescents aged 14–17, we identify three behavioral strategies in response to algorithmically curated content: (1) indifferent behavior, such as passive scrolling; (2) interactive behavior, including liking or sharing content to influence algorithmic outcomes; and (3) preventive behavior, such as blocking content or adjusting privacy settings. The results indicate that higher algorithm awareness is associated with increased indifferent behavior, whereas greater algorithm knowledge correlates with reduced interaction, possibly due to a reluctance to engage with algorithmic profiling. Adolescents’ ambivalent attitudes toward algorithms underscore these behavioral patterns. This work contributes to the understanding of algorithm literacy’s role in adolescents’ social media use and highlights the need for future research to refine the concept of “algorithm-literate” behavior.
Leonhard et al. (Sun,) studied this question.