Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
Algorithmic Media and the Enshittified Town Square: How Big Tech Corrupts Democratic Communication

Algorithmic Media and the Enshittified Town Square: How Big Tech Corrupts Democratic Communication

Bandy, Jack

Hardcover

General Political ScienceGeneral Sociology

ISBN10: 3032194377
ISBN13: 9783032194374
Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
Published: May 12 2026
Pages: 168
Weight: 0.75
Height: 0.65 Width: 6.23 Depth: 8.27
Language: English

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.

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