The rapid evolution of algorithmic content curation on user-upload platforms has transformed social media into an ecosystem where exposure to graphic and explicit content is not just an unintended byproduct, but a monetized feature of platform economies. Social media companies profit from prolonged user engagement by promoting emotionally provocative content to maximize user retention regardless of the significant psychological cost for users (Foster-McCray, 2024). Despite clear risks, platform algorithms continue to amplify such content, exploiting user engagement through exposure that is amplified through a self-reinforcing bidirectional loop (Garland et al., 2019; Koob & Volkow, 2016). Users under cognitive-affective distress seeking out negatively valenced material, which in turn increases distress (Kelly & Sharot, 2024). In this honors thesis, I leveraged longitudinal survey and screenome data from the Human Screenome Project (HSP) in a mixed methods analysis of (1) user behavior and cognitive-affective states related to viewing and engaging with unmoderated graphic explicit content (n=217; age = 44, range = 61) and (2) qualitative case studies of two participants’ screenshot sequences. Results from multilevel models indicate that individuals with chronically higher levels of psychological distress tended to have less sustained app-use sessions overall (p < 0.003), with the within-person relation between psychological distress and segment duration of app use being moderated by chronic psychological distress and which apps were being used (p < 0.001). Contrarily, Qualitative case studies indicated that there were instances when an individual was browsing algorithmic social media apps, where exposure to graphic and explicit content generated increased viewing times and led users to seek out additional explicit content. These findings highlight the need for detailed longitudinal mixed-methods analyses collected in naturalistic settings to unravel the nuances of everyday smartphone use, and to inform the development of revised legal frameworks and content moderation policies in order to center user well-being on algorithmic platforms.
![Honors Posters at Symposium of Undergraduate Research and Public Service [April 25, 2026]](https://thechangelab.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Garg_SURPSVig_20260425-300x95.png "Honors Posters at Symposium of Undergraduate Research and Public Service [April 25, 2026]")
