Navigating Algorithmically Constructed Romantic Landscapes
(A2026-132411)

AUTHORS

Jamie Smith, EAESP-FGV; Stefania Mas�, Ipag Business School; Alisa Minina Jeunema�tre, emlyon business school

ABSTRACT

Digital dating platforms, driven by algorithmic infrastructures, significantly shape contemporary romantic experiences. Existing research often oversimplifies online love by overlooking the complex normative frameworks users navigate. This study, based on 21 consumer interviews, uses an institutional theory lens to analyse user agency within three distinct logics in online dating. We examined the power dynamics of these logics using a 4-point consumer empowerment framework. Our findings advance scholarship on the platformization of the relationship industry and consumer agency, illustrating how individuals navigate an algorithmically constructed romantic landscape.