What's on Your for You Page? The Algorithm and the Spread of Culture and Ideologies

    For the fourth time today, a student let out a “6-7” as I questioned why I hadn’t considered changing the order of their grammar practice. Acknowledging the word once again, I redirected the student's attention back to the classroom lesson. As a high school teacher, it is common to see trends come and go. Student lingo continuously shifts as they teach me the difference between cap and no cap or encourage me to utilize the infamous “what the sigma” or the now outdated “skibidi toilet.” Working with these young, brilliant minds is a reminder that culture not only shifts, but as the culture shifts, so does the pop culture they consume that entirely entrenches their lives.  

              Although pop culture has naturally shifted overtime to not only include art, music, literature, and television, it further has come to consist of memes, TikTok reels, and YouTube shorts. In attempting to keep up with not just their culture, but the pop culture in which they consume, it often becomes a

matter of the algorithm. Because as it turns out, the students and staff may utilize the same platforms, but their for you pages look entirely different, which creates its own cultural struggle, and this cultural struggle is not only strategic but it further circulates ideologies among its viewers while further instilling cultural values and encouraging consumerism.  

     In considering how the algorithm works, as individuals scroll through reels or short videos, whenever they pause or interact with a reel, the algorithm naturally provides them with more of the same content. Overtime, what had once felt chosen by the viewer, becomes chosen for the viewer. This personalization limits exposure to content outside of one's own interests, and as individuals' interests are naturally defined by culture, cultural belief and value systems are not only engrained into the viewer, but it further normalizes that same belief system.  

Even more so, the algorithm not only personalizes reels to fit its viewer, but it further prioritizes engagement and provides users content that is already popular through likes, views, and comments. This popularity essentially creates more popularity while further expanding cultural beliefs within

our society, all while viewers are entirely entertained and yes, sometimes even pacified. In the meantime, consumerism is further encouraged in subtle ways as “Get Ready with Me” or “Unboxing” trends circulate among the masses.  

Needless to say, all of this can easily resonate with Adorno and Horkheimer as ideologies do appear to be driven, pop culture begins to feel superficial, products flood the market; and let’s face it, even the reels are beginning to feel as though they may be interchangeable at times. While all of this is the case, as a teacher, the most concerning part comes down to the overstimulation of today’s society, the difficulty to critically think and utilize imagination, and more so, the difficulty in having beliefs that are not widespread on social media. While this may be the case, it does come down to education. Although many may mindlessly scroll as the algorithm curates their feed, through simple education, viewers can not only become resistant to pop culture messages but further be a positive change in the messages being mass produced. As it has been said, pop culture may appease the masses, but it doesn’t have to control them. Which leads us back to the question, what ideologies are you unknowingly consuming on your social media feed?