Because You Watched: How Do Streaming Services’ Recommender Systems Influence Aesthetic Choice?

To support users’ media selection, streaming services increasingly rely on algorithmic recommender systems that provide personalized media curation based on various sources of user information (e.g., previously watched content). The utilization of recommender systems has led to concerns over how such systems might influence an individual’s aesthetic choices. Recommender systems and increased accessibility to media content have, after all, changed the way users engage with entertainment media. This paper examines the relationship between recommender systems and individuals’ aesthetic choices by exploring literature from disparate fields such as modern media and algorithms, aesthetic choice, entertainment preferences, and well-being. We explore the notion that aesthetic choice can be considered a “low-stake” decision process and is part of a fulfilling aesthetic life, influencing the individual through incremental and cumulative decisions. The paper provides considerations for future directions for exploration as this burgeoning field leaves us with more questions than answers.