Students' Perception of Good Government Leadership Through Algorithmic Exposure
Keywords:
Social Media, Students’ Awareness of Algorithmic Exposure, Government Leadership, Political Perception, Media LiteracyAbstract
Digital platforms serve as primary information sources for the youth; the mechanisms by which personalized content curation shapes political assessment remain under-researched. Grounded in Social Learning Theory, Agenda-Setting Theory, and Uses and Gratifications Theory, this qualitative research utilizes a phenomenological approach to explore the socio-technical environment of digital leadership representation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with twelve purposely selected participants across grades 7 to 12 and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that algorithmic amplification prioritized viral, emotionally charged, and often sensationalized content—fosters "filter bubbles" that significantly bias student evaluations. Repeated exposure to narratives focusing on governance failures and scandals tends to diminish institutional trust, whereas visibility of successful humanitarian initiatives correlates with positive leadership perceptions. Results indicate a growing tendency among students to conflate digital popularity with effective governance, though many participants demonstrated emerging agency by utilizing cross-platform fact-checking to mitigate algorithmic bias. The study concludes that algorithmic curation acts as a digital gatekeeper, narrowing the diversity of political discourse and shaping a generation’s leadership ideals through curated visibility. These insights underscore the critical need to integrate advanced digital literacy and algorithmic awareness into the educational curriculum to cultivate more critical and informed civic engagement among youth in an increasingly automated information ecosystem.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Shanielle A. Gaso, Sean Eleazar Aguilar, Jaylyn Mae Fraincine C. Quimada, Ruth Ann A. Dagatan, Ericha S. Ablen, Cris Ivan V. Oga, Joseph L. Torres (Author)
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