Algorithms as Filters of Identity

Algorithms spotlight certain traits and content, pushing users toward specific ways of presenting themselves while burying other forms of expression. As people adjust their behavior to please the algorithm, they often share only limited, curated parts of their identity rather than their true interests.

10/21/20251 min read

Algorithms kick off the identity process by highlighting some traits while downplaying others. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube favor specific types of posts over the rest. This pushes forward particular ways of crafting identity and buries the alternatives completely. Tarleton Gillespie sees these networks as filters that organize content by things like relevance or popularity (Gillespie 2018). Folks start tweaking their actions based on what they think the algorithm favors. They might share particular kinds of photos or add trendy hashtags. Sometimes they jump into viral fads just to fit in. They do not always follow their real passions here. The goal often boils down to letting the algorithm expand their reach. In the end, this leads everyone to showcase only select slices of who they are.