Targeted and Tired! The Effect of Perceived Algorithmic Targeting on Ad Avoidance

This study examines the complex dynamics of advertising avoidance in the social media context, with particular emphasis on the roles of psychological reactance perceived surveillance, privacy concerns, and algorithmic fatigue. It delineates the intricate interplay between personalization technologies and users’ surveillance, privacy awareness, and exhaustion from continuous media consumption, which may contribute to the rising tendency of users to avoid digital advertisements. Drawing on the psychological reactance theory (PRT), the study proposes that perceived algorithmic personalization increases perceptions of surveillance, privacy concerns, and algorithmic fatigue, which trigger defensive responses—advertising avoidance. Furthermore, the study examines the moderating role of perceived privacy control in the relationships between reactance-related antecedents and ad avoidance. An online survey of Instagram users was conducted over a one-month period starting from the 15th of December to empirically test the hypotheses. The findings reveal that perceived algorithmic personalization has a significant positive effect on algorithmic fatigue, privacy concerns, and surveillance. Moreover, perceived control weakens the impact of algorithmic fatigue on ad avoidance, highlighting its role as a critical boundary condition. This study contributes to the literature by integrating technological and psychological determinants of ad avoidance into a unified framework, offering a more comprehensive understanding of user resistance in algorithm-driven environments.