This book explores the role of algorithmic media services (e.g. Instagram, Google, Twitter/X, TikTok) in mass communication. It provides empirical analyses of these media as digital environments which shape news distribution, advertising practices, and interpersonal communication. Drawing on interdisciplinary research from media studies, computer science, and communication, the book separates evidence-based insights from widespread “folk theories” about big tech companies and their role in society. By focusing on structural changes introduced by algorithmic mediation, this work contributes to ongoing discussions about digital literacy, regulation of big tech, and the future of democratic discourse. The structural focus also provides theoretical insights regarding dispersed gatekeeping roles in algorithmic media environments, the communication dynamics surrounding enshittification, and emerging forms of digital capital in the age of “influencers.” Overall, the book offers a pragmatic perspective toward the rapidly-evolving digital communication environment, emphasizing human agency and the potential for more purposeful engagement with algorithmic media.

Jack Bandy is a clinical assistant professor of Computer Science at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Originally from Kentucky, he completed his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Communication Studies at Northwestern University, where he worked in the Computational Journalism Lab. His scholarly interests focus on algorithmic media (e.g. Google, TikTok, Instagram) and their role in human communication, combining topics and methods from algorithm auditing, data science, human-computer interaction, ethics, and media studies.