ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces, illustrates, and analyses the finding that young people are open and vulnerable to rampant commercialism on social media. Data suggest that young people do not necessarily look or search for health-related information on social media, yet they see a significant number of health-related posts because of the algorithms embedded within social media sites and the unethical actions of commercial parties. This chapter argues that young people should be supported to develop deeper understandings of the algorithms embedded within social media and how these control and manipulate what young people can see, access, and use.
A digitally animated case study video of the evidence presented in this chapter can be accessed from: https://epapers.bham.ac.uk/3055/
