“They influence how long you watch and what you watch, and what you’re getting angry or concerned about.”That design is intentional. Mozilla’s crowdsourced research found people routinely regretted what the algorithm recommended to them, especially when it pushed misleading or extreme videos. TikTok studies have documented similar patterns, with teens in particular reporting addictive use and lower self-esteem after long exposure. It’s that their recommendation systems consistently reward content that keeps us hooked, whether or not it’s healthy. Other studies of YouTube suggest the platform can reinforce radicalization, but not always in the dramatic ways critics assume.