Algorithmic Influence on Social Reality Perception among Generation Z

Generation Z's (Gen Z) daily lives are significantly influenced by social media, shaping how young people access information, follow trends, interact with others, and interpret the world around them. This experience is largely mediated by algorithms that select, rank, and recommend content based on users' previous interactions, preferences, and engagement patterns. Previous studies have examined the effects of algorithmic personalization on areas such as information consumption, decision-making, identity, bias, misinformation, and algorithmic awareness. More recent research also suggests that personalized recommendation environments can influence information exposure, perceived relevance, trust, preference formation, and perceived autonomy. However, these dimensions are often studied independently, leaving limited understanding of how continuous and repeated exposure to algorithmically curated content may shape an individual's broader perception towards social reality. This study examines the influence of algorithmically curated social media content on Gen Z's perceptions of what appears normal, popular, credible, and representative of everyday life. The research explores users' experiences with personalized recommendations and investigates how repeated exposure, information narrowing, and awareness of algorithmic systems relate to the way curated content is interpreted. A quantitative, cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 31 social media users aged 18–29. The responses were analysed using descriptive statistics, while open-ended responses were used to provide context to the findings. The study also approaches this issue from a UI/UX perspective by considering the role of transparency, user control, and interface design within algorithm-driven platforms. The findings contribute to understanding the relationship between algorithmic curation and users' perceptions of social reality, while highlighting the importance of more transparent and understandable digital experiences. As the study is based on a small, self-reported sample, it does not establish a causal relationship between algorithms and perception.