Recently, a paper entitled “Understanding Algorithmic Aversion: A Bold Rejection of Digital Dominion”, co-authored by Dr. YAN Siyuan from the Department of Finance of the School and Dr. LING Xiaoxu from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, was published in Communications of the ACM (CACM), a world top-tier journal in the field of computer science. As the flagship journal published by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), it features the latest ideas and cutting-edge technologies in computer science, and is recognized as one of the most credible and professional industry information sources for current computer practitioners. With an impact factor of 12.2 in 2025, the journal has ranked first in the JCR category of "Computer Science, Hardware and Architecture" for three consecutive years. This publication marks the first time that the School has had a paper featured in this journal.
This study proposes a groundbreaking theoretical reconstruction of the increasingly prevalent phenomenon of "algorithmic aversion" in the digital age. Challenging the mainstream view that regards algorithmic aversion simply as a technological acceptance barrier to be overcome, the research innovatively introduces the theoretical perspective of "strategic illiteracy" and redefines algorithmic aversion as a strategically significant collective social choice. Drawing on historical examples of oppressed groups rejecting the colonial cultural and knowledge systems during the colonial rule period, the study argues that when individuals choose to reject algorithmic recommendations, their decision stems not from ignorance or irrationality, but from an implicit understanding of the limitations of algorithms, such as their potential to exacerbate social injustice and violate privacy. Such "avoidance" is not only a self-protection strategy, but also an important driving force for promoting the reform of algorithm governance, offering new insights for building a fairer and more inclusive digital future.
Dr. YAN Siyuan graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and joined the School in 2022. He was selected for the Shanghai Pujiang Talent Program in 2023. He has long been engaged in research on fintech, sustainable finance and digital and intelligent governance. He presides over research projects including the Youth Project of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, and has published a number of papers as the first or corresponding author in various internationally authoritative journals such as Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Journal of Business Research, Policy Studies Journal, Technovation and European Journal of Marketing.
Paper information: Ling, X., Yan, S. (2026). Understanding Algorithmic Aversion: A Bold Rejection of Digital Dominion. Communications of the ACM, 69(3), 27-30.