The Impact of Media Literacy on Purchase Decisions in Algorithm-Driven E-Commerce Platforms: The Mediating Role of Perceived Algorithmic Manipulativeness and the Moderating Role of Algorithm Transparency Among Chinese Gen Z Consumers

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-787-3_75How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Media Literacy; Algorithmic Recommendation; Perceived Algorithmic Manipulativeness; Algorithm Transparency; Purchase Decision; Gen Z

Abstract

Algorithmic recommendation systems have become the dominant mechanism shaping consumer behavior on Chinese e-commerce content platforms such as Taobao, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu. While these systems offer personalized convenience, they also raise concerns about covert manipulation of consumer choices. This study investigates how media literacy influences purchase decisions among Chinese Gen Z consumers (aged 18–25), examining the mediating role of perceived algorithmic manipulativeness (PAM) and the moderating role of perceived algorithm transparency (PAT). An online survey was conducted with 358 valid respondents. Results from PROCESS mediation analysis revealed that PAM partially mediated the relationship between media literacy and purchase decisions, accounting for 41.0% of the total effect. However, algorithm transparency did not significantly moderate the media literacy–PAM pathway. These findings suggest that higher media literacy, while enabling consumers to better recognize algorithmic manipulation, paradoxically facilitates rather than inhibits purchase behavior driven by algorithmic recommendations.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Lixuan He
AU  - Cijian Zhang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/29
TI  - The Impact of Media Literacy on Purchase Decisions in Algorithm-Driven E-Commerce Platforms: The Mediating Role of Perceived Algorithmic Manipulativeness and the Moderating Role of Algorithm Transparency Among Chinese Gen Z Consumers
BT  - Proceedings of the 2026 4th International Conference on Management Innovation and Economy Development (MIED 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 774
EP  - 781
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-787-3_75
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-787-3_75
ID  - He2026
ER  -