How Constant Scrolling and Online Algorithms Affect Our Well-Being

What is it about?

Today, we spend so much time online that scrolling through social media feels almost automatic. Sometimes this turns into “doomscrolling,” where we continue to look at negative news or posts, even though it makes us feel worse. In this study, we looked at how often university students in Türkiye doomscroll, how well they understand the algorithms that shape their feeds, and how all of this relates to their well-being. We surveyed 551 students and found that they doomscroll at moderate levels, generally understand algorithms well, but report lower well-being overall. Male students knew more about algorithms, but both males and females doomscrolled at similar rates. We also saw that students who spend more time online, especially on social or entertainment platforms, tend to doomscroll more. Students with lower well-being were also more likely to fall into doomscrolling habits. The findings show how digital habits and emotions connect, and why helping young people build healthier online routines matters.

Featured Image

Photo by Shawn Rain on Unsplash

Photo by Shawn Rain on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Doomscrolling is a new and understudied behavior, and we still know very little about what drives it. This study helps fill that gap by looking at how students’ emotions, online habits, and understanding of algorithms shape their scrolling behaviors. University students are a key group because they spend so much time online and rely heavily on algorithm-driven content. By identifying the factors that make doomscrolling more likely, the study highlights why digital awareness and healthy online habits matter for young people’s well-being.