Illustration by Andy Huang/Ikon Images Science & Tech ‘Lately, my algorithm is trash’ Are we shaping our feeds or are they shaping us? Liz Mineo Harvard Staff Writer September 23, 2026 long read Recommendation algorithms promise social media users a personalized experience, but some experts worry they promote doomscrolling, brain rot, and myriad mental health problems. Australia recently proposed legislation to allow users to opt out of algorithms with the goal of protecting children online and giving people more control over what they see on their feeds. We asked faculty members from different fields of study to share their views and concerns about recommendation algorithms. Their responses...