One blind spot of the explainability debate: the specific needs and vulnerabilities of adolescents

Abstract

Abstract The contemporary philosophical–ethical debate about explainability of algorithmic systems shows a remarkable research gap: youth-specific perspectives receive only marginal attention, despite adolescents and youth being among the most intensive users of digital technologies. This paper argues that this neglect, in particular of the specific vulnerabilities and needs of young people, is particularly problematic given that algorithmic systems increasingly shape identity development, socialization, and agency of adolescents. Through analyzing youth as a distinct life phase in digital contexts, this paper demonstrates how development-conditioned characteristics create specific vulnerabilities toward AI systems. The heterogeneity of young people—considering intersectional dimensions, such as gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and disability—reveals differentiated ethical requirements for explainability. This paper conceptualizes explainability not merely as a technical challenge but as a fundamental condition for enabling autonomy development, as a protective factor against algorithmic manipulation, and as a foundation for digital maturity. This paper argues that intransparent algorithmic systems undermine both current autonomy and future capacity development. Explainability should be understood as a tool for empowerment that enables critical thinking, practical agency, and action. The educational dimension reveals AI literacy as an indispensable cultural technique requiring systematic curricular integration and new pedagogical approaches. Furthermore, this paper explores the responsibilities of technology firms and the state to protect adolescents and to empower them to use AI safely and wisely.

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