Abstract: In the age of intelligent media, short video algorithm recommendation technology has deeply permeated college students’ lives and has exerted a significant impact on the shaping of their values. Based on the threefold attributes of algorithm recommendation—technical logic, ideology, and social impact—this paper analyzes its positive effects in promoting precise cultivation of cognition, knowledge popularization, and the forging of value consensus. It also reveals the risks of value shaping brought about by the information cocoon, the impact of capital logic, and algorithmic bias. Furthermore, it proposes optimization strategies from the dimensions of mechanism construction, systematic layout, and algorithmic innovation, providing new perspectives and practical approaches to addressing the challenges of guiding college students' values in the algorithm era.