This book provides a critical study of the power, trust, and legitimacy of
algorithmic gatekeepers.
The news and public information which citizens see and hear is no longer
solely determined by journalists, but increasingly by algorithms. Van Dalen
demonstrates the gatekeeping power of social media algorithms by showing
how they affect exposure to diverse information and misinformation
and shape the behavior of professional communicators. Trust and
legitimacy are foregrounded as two crucial antecedents for the
acceptance of this algorithmic power. This study reveals low trust
among the general population in algorithms performing journalistic
tasks and a perceived lack of legitimacy of algorithmic power among
professional communicators. Drawing on case studies from YouTube
and Instagram, this book challenges technological deterministic discourse
around “filter bubbles” and “echo chambers” and shows how algorithmic
power is situated in the interplay between platforms, audiences, and
professional communicators. Ultimately, trustworthy algorithms used by
news organizations and social media platforms as well as algorithm
literacy training are proposed as ways forward toward democratic
algorithmic gatekeeping.
Presenting a nuanced perspective which challenges the deep divide
between techno-optimistic and techno-pessimistic discourse around
algorithms, Algorithmic Gatekeeping is recommended reading for
journalism and communication researchers in related fields.