The third paper in this session at the IAMCR 2025 conference in Singapore is by Yishen Zhao, exploring inter generational differences in algorithmic perceptions, with a particular focus on low-carbon technologies. Climate change is now an urgent crisis, but different generations respond to climate issues in very different ways – including through their social media uses.
This study builds on the theory of planned behaviour, which suggests that social media use might influence low-carbon intentions; and on patterns of algorithm appreciation and algorithm aversion in social media use, which may also affect social media activity patterns. In combination, these provide several variables that can be tested in social media users’ attitudes and behaviours. These variables are likely to mutually affect each other.
The study conducted a survey of Chinese social media users, followed by in-depth interviews with 18 individuals. Social media use positively influenced low-carbon intentions, leading to green mobility behaviour, but age did not seem to play a significant role in this; a lack of understanding of algorithms seemed to mediate this relationship, while overt algorithmic personalisation was unhelpful (I think – this is all a bit unclear).
