New research from media, marketing and technology company Brave Bison has shown 94% of regular social media users have taken action to manage the content they are shown by algorithm-driven feeds.
The research, titled Generation Algorithm, was conducted by Brave Bison’s specialist strategy and insights consultancy MTM, and reveals that audiences are moving beyond passive scrolling and becoming more intentional about the way they shape their digital experiences.
Generation Algorithm
Users are actively trying to influence what appears in their feeds in a number of different ways, by signalling intent using existing built tools, such as liking/disliking content and following/unfollowing accounts.
They are also manipulating content engagement by watching content for longer to signal interest or skipping past quickly when not interested, and seeding searches by actively searching for specific topics to trigger future recommendations.
They also managing their environment by having multiple social accounts for different purposes on the same platform or browsing in a private browser, and using a built-in tool or feature specifically built to manage content recommended by the algorithm such as Instagram’s Your Algorithm feature.
MTM surveyed 2,000 regular social media users across the UK and US, alongside cultural insight work and AI-assisted qualitative interviews, to understand how audiences are responding to algorithm-driven media and what this means for the future of online discovery, advertising and engagement.
The findings suggest this behaviour is now mainstream across age groups, rather than being limited to younger audiences.
While Gen Z is leading the shift, with 70% saying they direct the algorithm, the same is true for 64% of millennials and almost half (47%) of Gen X and boomers.
This presents a growing challenge for brands and platforms. Audiences are becoming more aware of how algorithmic media works and more selective about the content they allow into their feeds.
For platforms, the research points to a clear appetite for greater transparency, control and user input.
For brands, it shows the need to create content that feels relevant enough to be welcomed, rather than ignored, hidden or pushed out of view.
Ric Hayes, Chief Strategy Officer at Brave Bison said: “Algorithm-driven media has become the default way people discover content, products and communities online.
“What this research shows is that audiences are no longer treating the feed as something that simply happens to them.
“They are learning how to influence it, even if that process is still messy. For brands, this changes the rules of engagement. Relevance can’t just be assumed because a piece of content has been targeted at the right demographic.
“It has to earn its place in a feed that audiences are actively shaping around their own interests, moods and needs.”
Caroline Wren, Chief Executive Officer at MTM said: “Generation Algorithm is about a shift in audience behaviour that platforms and brands need to take seriously. People still value discovery, but they want more say in how that discovery happens.
“The opportunity now is to build experiences that give people more confidence, transparency and control.
“Platforms that make this easier can create more satisfying online environments, while brands that understand these behaviours will be better placed to show up in ways that feel useful, trusted and relevant.”