Encouraging Exploration in a Curated World

The other day, I opened Amazon Music and noticed something strange.
Suddenly, my “My Likes and More” playlist was full of Blue Da Ba Dee (thanks to our youngest’s obsession with the Indianapolis Colts’ mascot) and tracks from Kendrick Lamar and Lil Tecca.

Now, I’m not opposed to those artists or genres. But they’re not exactly my vibe. I usually lean toward Sublime, Stick Figure, Tropidelic, and Dirty Heads. My carefully cultivated listening identity, my little corner of reggae-rock relaxation, suddenly looked a lot different.

Why? Because my kids had been listening on my account. And in doing so, they completely “messed up my algorithm.”

I was irrationally annoyed. I didn’t want their songs showing up in my likes. I didn’t want my carefully tuned recommendations filling up with music I’d never intentionally put on repeat.

And that’s when it hit me: I felt exactly the way a recent Fast Company article described teens. Although I had read the article weeks ago and filed it away in my memory as something to discuss with our digital citizenship team and my own children, this moment brought it back to the forefront.

Teens carefully curate their online selves, for fear of messing up their “For You” algorithms

Researchers at UNC–Chapel Hill found that today’s teens are hyper-aware of how algorithms shape what they see. They know every click, every linger, every listen reshapes their feed. And because of that, many teens avoid exploring new songs, videos, or ideas for fear of throwing their algorithm off balance.

In other words: the algorithm isn’t just recommending content; it’s shaping identity. For teens, their “For You” page feels like a mirror. (Read the full article.)

The Cost of Playing It Safe

When young people resist clicking on something new, even when it sparks curiosity, they’re protecting their feed, not their growth. Exploration shrinks. Serendipity gets lost. And instead of broadening horizons, the algorithm builds a narrower and narrower echo chamber.

That’s alarming. As educators and parents, we want curiosity, not curation, to drive learning. We want students to stumble into new ideas, new music, new perspectives—not fear them.

But here’s the kicker: I realized I was doing the same thing. When my kids “messed up” my Amazon Music algorithm, I bristled. Why? Because I wanted my recommendations to reflect me.

Turns out, we’re all negotiating identity with the algorithm.

Why This Matters for Education and Leadership

If teens feel their algorithm is a reflection of who they are, it’s no wonder they’re so protective of it. And if adults feel annoyed when their recommendations get hijacked, we can empathize with the tension teens feel.

Here’s the leadership challenge:

The Takeaway

My kids may have hijacked my playlists with Blue Da Ba Dee and Kendrick Lamar, but they also gave me a powerful reminder: Algorithms are powerful, but they’re not destiny.

As leaders, educators, and parents, we can model a posture of curiosity, choosing exploration over curation. Because in the end, the best way to grow isn’t to preserve the perfect feed.

It’s to mess it up once in a while.

When was the last time you intentionally “messed up your algorithm” to learn something new? What would it look like to build that practice into your own leadership and into the way you guide students and staff?