In maths, algorithms are defined as a sequence of rigorous instructions often used to solve calculations, a class of specific problems, or to perform a computation. But the use of algorithms expands way beyond maths. Algorithms pretty much govern our everyday routine, and how we as a society make decisions that impact different aspects of our lives. From our credit scores to what schools or jobs we will go through in our life, algorithms prevail. Algorithms are particularly found to be used in artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning, as it not only automates complex processes but also allows us to take the farthest complexities of human beings, into account.
Although a combination of algorithms and AI are not technically ‘run’ by an individual, they are still designed, used, and shaped by people. In the age of social media, we constantly feed data to algorithms, which produce a niche profile of advertisements or content that we are likely to enjoy in return.
But just how fair and impartial are algorithms really? If it’s all computer-generated, shouldn’t problems such as racism, homophobia, and ableism not be present?
Social media has seen a rise in the practice of “shadowbanning” where creators get their content partially blocked from their audience’s feed. Though mostly used on ‘problematic’ users in hopes they will get frustrated and leave the platform, many people of colour (POC), LGBTQIA+ and disabled creators have come forward with complaints about being shadowbanned.
Particularly focusing on TikTok as a platform with an anti-racist lens, below is a screen recording of my “For You Page”, a feed where the algorithm recommends TikToks to my interest.
Just from this 45 second scroll, there is already a prominent disproportionate amount of white and POC creators being recommended. POC creators were only recommended three times. The first being the @complexuk ad promoting the Bad Bunny x Adidas collaboration, where Bad Bunny himself did not even make an appearance. The second and third time, I got recommended dance TikToks, one with a group of girls in matching outfits, and the other with a male dancing alone. The rest of the videos were all white creators, in which every video was more varied, and featured a different genre. However, I must also consider this as a product of geographical location. I have noticed that when I am in an Asian country, my For You Page displays proportionately more POC’s — but I wouldn’t say it is an obvious difference as white content creators still dominate my feed.
“TikTok and other social media platforms rely on the use of algorithmic coding that literally erase the possibility for disabled, queer, trans, and fat users from full participation and visibility on a social media network.”
– Jessica Sage Rauchberg
Whether or not the algorithm intentionally shadowbans creators, this is not anything new for our society. For centuries we have always been divided by our race. The very structure of colonialism and slavery relied on racism and differences in physical appearance. As a society, so many POC communities are still working through the trauma of these incidents, as well as the racism we face in the 21st century. We as users can blame the algorithm all we like, but for as long as algorithms are constructed by humans who may be inherently biased towards certain demographics, the ‘algorithm’ is forever going to not only shape the way social media functions to their specific liking whilst giving us a false sense of ‘personalisation’, but rather also expand to becoming a part of a wider social structure. In turn, the efforts we have globally put into tackling racism could be reversed by the ‘algorithm’ unknowingly as children of our future continue to consume biased content. So as a member of a marginalised society, I urge you and everyone, to hold such platforms accountable, to demand a change.