Algorithmic Choice2026
Overview
Algorithmic Choice is a speculative UX and policy concept that explores an alternative approach to regulating social media for young people.
The project was developed to shift the public debate away from social media bans and toward designing better systems. Rather than asking “Should we ban social media?”, it asks:
“How might we redesign the algorithms behind social media to better protect young users?”
The concept proposes that parents could choose from independently certified recommendation algorithms instead of relying solely on engagement-driven platform algorithms.
To make this future scenario tangible, we designed and built an interactive research artefact in SwiftUI, allowing policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders to experience the concept rather than simply read about it.
I worked together with Katharine Ly and Nela Šuica. Supervised by Stephanie Hankey and Prof. Boris Müller.
Background
This project was developed based on Toxic Triangle, a research initiative by Tactical Tech (Berlin) exploring the societal harms of social media recommendation systems.
While the broader project focused on helping policymakers and decision-makers understand how recommendation algorithms contribute to issues such as addictive design, misinformation, and political polarization, Algorithmic Choice explored the next step:
What could a practical alternative look like?
Instead of presenting another critique of existing platforms, this project proposes a speculative regulatory and UX solution that encourages discussion around actionable policy interventions.
The Problem
Today’s recommendation algorithms are primarily optimized for engagement, often amplifying addictive behaviours, misinformation, and increasingly personalized content.
Existing responses—such as platform bans or screen-time limits—primarily address how long children use social media, but not what content they are exposed to.
This project explores a different question:
How might parents gain meaningful control over recommendation algorithms without compromising children’s digital autonomy?
The Concept
Inspired by interoperability principles in the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), the concept proposes that social media platforms expose their recommendation systems through open interfaces.
Parents could then select from independently certified algorithms directly within existing parental control settings.
Example algorithm options include:
- Educational Feed
- Trusted News Feed
- Chronological Feed
- No AI-Generated Content
- No Shorts / Reels
- Child-Friendly Feed
Each algorithm would be independently reviewed, transparent, and age-rated before becoming available.
Design Solution
To demonstrate the idea, we designed an interactive prototype in SwiftUI that extends existing smartphone parental controls with a new Content Algorithm setting.
The prototype allows users to:
- browse certified recommendation algorithms
- compare how each algorithm curates content
- understand transparency and age ratings
- select different algorithms for a child’s account
The goal was not to create a production-ready product, but to make a speculative policy proposal feel concrete, interactive, and open to discussion.
Design Process
The project followed a Research through Design methodology combined with Speculative Design.
The process included:
- Investigating current parental control systems
- Researching the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA)
- Studying existing social media regulation
- Designing future user journeys and interaction flows
- Building an interactive research artefact in SwiftUI
- Evaluating ethical, technical, and regulatory trade-offs
Challenges
Rather than offering a perfect solution, the project highlights the trade-offs involved in regulating algorithmic systems, including:
- balancing child protection and digital autonomy
- preventing political or commercial misuse of recommendation algorithms
- defining transparent certification standards
- ensuring fair implementation across different platforms
Outcome
Algorithmic Choice demonstrates how UX design can contribute to public policy discussions by making complex regulatory ideas tangible and easy to evaluate.
Instead of advocating for blanket social media bans, the project encourages policymakers to consider alternative interventions that reshape the underlying systems rather than restricting access altogether.
