"Treating “the algorithm” as a kind of divine power misunderstands where algorithmic power comes from."

When TikTok first began to amass media attention, a narrative about its “eerily accurate algorithm” became so popular it was almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. Users talked about its algorithm as if it were sentient. (“The TikTok Algorithm Knew My Sexuality Better Than I Did” one headline memorably claimed.

>"Treating “the algorithm” as a kind of divine power misunderstands where algorithmic power comes from"