Algorithmic Censorship and Language Evolution
Algorithmic censorship is changing the way people communicate, particularly on social media platforms. The emergence of slang, known as "algospeak," is a response to top-down censorship.
According to Adam Aleksic's book, Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language, social media rules have led to the creation of euphemisms. For example, "nipples" become "nip nops," and an "eggplant" can represent a penis. Similarly, "killing someone" is rephrased as "unaliving them," and "committing suicide" becomes "kermit sewerslide."
Everything slightly risqué or unpleasant becomes baby talk.
This phenomenon is not due to teens being "overgrown infants," but rather a bottom-up response to algorithmic censorship. Social media platforms have implemented policies to appease advertisers and politicians, which can result in content deletion, creator bans, or subtle algorithmic nudges.
- Algorithmic censorship promotes certain content while demoting others.
- Users adapt by creating euphemisms to avoid censorship.
Author's summary: Algorithmic censorship shapes online language.