When Leisure is Programmed: Algorithmic Awareness, Autonomy, Satisfaction, and Discovery in Digital Platform Use

As algorithms increasingly shape digital leisure, their psychological effects become crucial to understand. This study conceptualizes leisure as a psychological experience involving autonomy, satisfaction, and discovery, and examines how algorithmic curation influences these elements on platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok. Survey data from 1,053 adults in Türkiye were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling, explaining 34% of the variance in overall leisure experience. Findings show that algorithmic awareness enhances satisfaction but reduces autonomy and discovery. All three—satisfaction, autonomy, and discovery—significantly predict leisure quality. The results suggest that while personalization can boost short-term enjoyment, it may undermine users’ sense of agency and limit serendipitous exploration. The study highlights the need for transparent, user-centered algorithmic design that safeguards autonomy and discovery as key aspects of leisure.