‘I’d rather have memories that I can actually hold on to’: How young adults use and experience algorithmic memory technologies

Abstract Whereas the growing body of research into algorithmic memory technologies and the platformisation of memory has a media-centric approach, this article engages with the question of how users experience and make sense of such omnipresent technologies. By means of a questionnaire and follow-up qualitative interviews with young adults (born between 1997 and 2005) and a Grounded Theory approach, we empirically examine an object of study that has been mainly explored theoretically. Our study found four major experiences associated with algorithmic memory technologies: intrusive, dissonant, nostalgic, and practical. Connected to these experiences, we found four sets of practices and strategies of use: avoidance and non-use; curating and training; reminiscing; and cognitive offloading and managing identity through memory. Our results show that our participants’ use and awareness of algorithmic memory technologies are diverse and, at times, contradictory, and shape their attitudes towards their memories, whether they are mediated or not. Hence, our study offers nuances and new perspectives to extant research into algorithmic memory technologies, which often assumes particular users and uses.