The Dark Side of AI-Driven Short-Form Personalized Recommendations: Immersive Experience and Habitual Use as Mediators of Problematic Use

This study investigates the impact of explicit and implicit feedback from AI-driven recommendation algorithms on the consumption of problematic short-form content among South Korean university students. It explores the mediating roles of flow experience and habitual use in this relationship. These findings indicate that both feedback types enhance user immersion and foster habitual use, thereby contributing to problematic consumption patterns. The role of cultural factors, such as societal pressures and academic stress in shaping digital media habits, is highlighted, offering valuable insights into developing interventions to reduce problematic short-form use and promote healthier digital consumption among students.