The Invisible Gatekeepers – How Algorithms Shape What We See

It’s both fascinating and unsettling when you think about it. Algorithms decide what rises to the top of our feeds, what stories get amplified, and what perspectives quietly fade into the background. They shape our understanding of what’s “popular,” what’s “true,” and what’s worth paying attention to, all without us even realizing it.

In a way, algorithms have become the new gatekeepers of culture. Where newspapers once decided the headlines and TV networks controlled what aired at 6 p.m., now it’s platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram that hold that power. And they’re not run by editors; they’re run by machine learning systems that measure engagement instead of meaning.

But as much as algorithms can feel manipulative, they’ve also opened up opportunities that didn’t exist before. They gave people like me, the kid in eighth grade learning to edit videos in his bedroom, a chance to reach audiences around the world. They gave a voice to creators who would’ve never made it through traditional media’s filters.

Now, I think about algorithms differently. They’re not evil, but they’re not neutral either. They reflect what we click, what we share, and what we crave. In the end, they’re mirrors, showing us the collective choices of billions of people online.

But that’s what makes it so important to stay aware. Because while algorithms can give anyone a voice, they can also decide who gets heard and who doesn’t.