If you’re not familiar with the term algorithm or don’t fully grasp the power this modern tool has over your outlook on the world and the people in it, let me give you a quick rundown. Be prepared to have your mind melt.
An algorithm is essentially a set of instructions or rules a computer follows to solve a problem or complete a task. Think of it like a nerdy recipe:
- The steps are the algorithm,
- The ingredients are the data,
- And the finished dish is the outcome.
But today’s algorithms don’t just solve problems or crunch numbers. These cleverly crafted systems shape what we see, what we think, and even what we believe, often without us realising it. You might be thinking, “Sure, it probably influences me a little, but it’s not changing how I see the world. I search for recipes, and I get food ads. That’s just smart marketing.” But trust me, you have no idea how deep this actually goes.
Let’s take a walk down the proverbial rabbit hole.
Search engine algorithms, rulers of the digital world, decide what appears first on platforms like Google. This alone shapes what you consider to be true or important.
For example, if you type in “best diet”, the top results might favour articles paid for by supplement companies, making it seem like their products are universally recommended—even if they’re not.
Let us take it a step further. Your search itself can reflect your bias, without you even knowing it.
Search “Why is breakfast important?” and you’ll see reasons supporting it. Now type “Why is breakfast not important?” and you’ll get a completely different set of answers, often contradicting the first.
This doesn’t mean the search engine is educating you based on the best overall information on the subejct. It’s validating what you already lean toward. Helping you justify your opinion. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Yes, there are the lighter, less threatening algorithms, like the ones on Amazon or Takealot, that push products based on what you might buy. But I’m not talking about those.
I’m talking about the ones that quietly filter and frame your reality, bit by bit, day by day. The ones that decide which news stories go viral, which jokes you hear, and which videos invoke emotions—all based on your behaviour and what the system is designed to achieve (like keeping you engaged or maximising clicks).
Over time, this means your views on people, politics, trends—and even what you consider normal, are shaped by algorithms. You think you’re in control of the content you consume. But the truth is, you’re not. Not even close. Remember, algorithms started as innocent little tools, basic instructions used to sort numbers or find the shortest route on a map. But with the explosion of big data and machine learning, they’ve evolved into highly complex, adaptive systems.
And now, with AI in the mix, things have become even more advanced.
Today’s algorithms learn from massive amounts of data. They spot patterns and predict behaviour. They don’t just follow instructions like in the old days. These impressive tools adapt, evolve, and improve based on what you (and millions of others) click, like, watch, and buy. With this detailed knowledge of you, your habits, your preferences, your emotional responses—you become a tool that can be used, bought and sold by companies, political groups, and ideologies.
Don’t beleive me? Let’s get into some dark corners of this subejct for a moment then.
Because algorithms can predict what grabs your attention, they’ve been used to steer public opinion and shape political outcomes. Here are just a few examples:
- Cambridge Analytica & Facebook
During the 2016 US election and the Brexit campaign, data from millions of Facebook users was harvested and used to target people with tailored political ads—designed to exploit their fears, biases, and preferences. Algorithms were used to trigger specific emotional responses, increasing impact. - YouTube & Radicalisation
YouTube’s recommendation engine, built to keep you watching, has been accused of gradually pushing users toward more extreme content. Why? Because emotionally charged videos—those that spark anger, fear, or outrage—get more watch time. - Twitter (X) & Echo Chambers
X’s algorithm favours sensational and controversial posts. The result? People see more content that either validates or inflames their existing views, deepening political and social divides.
This means your worldview is no longer shaped solely by family, friends, or your lived experience, it’s shaped by invisible systems optimised to hold your attention. Let’s say you watch a video of someone being struck by a police officer. The algorithm notes your interest and starts showing you similar content—more violence, more injustice. Based on how you respond, it ramps up the intensity, seeing “how far you’ll go.”
Over time, it creates a curated reality, feeding you specific ideas and filtering out opposing ones. This doesn’t just affect what you buy or what shows up in your feed. It influences how you vote, what causes you support, and how you perceive entire groups of people. Bascially stated, “You are what you consume”.
Like with so many human creations; What starts out as a tool originally designed to help, quietly becomes a global instrument of control.
Here’s a simple, relatable example:
You work with someone, maybe even sit right next to them every day.
Yet your social media feeds look nothing alike.
Your child might be seeing Fortnite clips and gaming streams on YouTube.
You, in the same house and on the same Wi-Fi, are seeing cooking videos, politically charged content or radical ideas splashed with some light content inbetween.
This simple example illustrates how each person’s online experience is uniquely shaped by the algorithm’s touchpoints collected on their activity.
What are touchpoints, you ask? Every time you search, click, pause, comment, like, or linger online, you create a touchpoint, a data signal telling the algorithm what caught your attention.
Every time you search on Google, like a post on Facebook, or pause on a tweet on X (Twitter), you create what’s known as a touchpoint, a tiny piece of data recording how you interact with the digital world.
Algorithms collect and store these touchpoints by the thousands, tied to your user ID, device, or cookies. Over time, these moments add up to an incredibly detailed profile of who you are: what grabs your attention, what you might buy, even what political messages you’re likely to respond too.
Tech giants like Google, Facebook and X track everything from your clicks and comments to your location, the time of day you browse, and how long you linger on a video. It’s estimated that active users can accumulate hundreds of thousands of touchpoints across these platforms, giving algorithms a rich dataset to predict, and shape, your next move and thought.
As previously stated, this vast web of data doesn’t just decide which ad pops up or which meme you see first; terrifyingly, it subtly shapes your worldview.
To wrap up this journey into the data world up; Over time, this all changes how you see the past, present and future along with the obvious like politics, and what you consider normal. In short, your digital breadcrumbs allow powerful systems to quietly steer not just your online life, but your perceptions of the world around you.
Do you realise how profound that all is? That strange resentment you hold toward someone you’ve never met?
That deeply held belief about a political movement you’ve never really researched? Now you know where it came from.
We’d love to hear your thoughts, feel free to share your comments below. As an independent news agency, we’re a team of dedicated individuals working hard to contribute to a better South Africa and an informed society.
One Response
Scary but true