The article Propaganda in an Age of Algorithmic Personalization: Expanding Literacy Research and Practice by Renee Hobbs discusses the rise of algorithmic personalization and its impact on the landscape of 21st-century literacy research and practice. Algorithmic personalization refers to the use of “data from the behaviors, beliefs, interests, and emotions of the target audience to provide filtered digital content, targeted advertising, and differential product pricing to online users.” (p.1)
Hobbs points out that the power of algorithmic personalization and propaganda is currently shifting the dynamic landscape of literacy research and practice, as these algorithms use data from individual behavior to provide content to users that is increasingly personalized and targeted. This creates a significant impact on the way people receive, engage with, and interpret information.
The term 'literacy' has expanded over time to encompass a broader range of cognitive and social practices and there is a need for further expansion to include understanding and critical analysis of the algorithmically-driven content that people encounter. This understanding is necessary to help people navigate the increasingly complex digital landscape.
Hobbs also encourages more research into the ethical concerns and the transparency of algorithmic personalization. Awareness of these algorithms and how they shape online experiences is currently low. As a result, users often treat search engine results as neutral or objective, not realizing that these results are influenced by their previous online activities, even outside of that direct platform. Raising awareness of this issue is crucial in helping users understand how they interact with and consume information online, and to respond effectively to the many new persuasive genres that they encounter.
Overall, this commentary suggests that there is a significant need for literacy researchers and educators to explore and understand the complexities of algorithmic personalization. Students (or even adults for that matter) may be unaware of how algorithms are used to tailor information just for them and how that can limit their worldview. Generating more awareness of this impact is a crucial step towards improving literacy education and helping people of all ages navigate the digital landscape effectively and critically.
Hobbs, Renee. "Propaganda in an Age of Algorithmic Personalization: Expanding Literacy Research and Practice." Reading Research Quarterly (February 28, 2020). https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1057&context=com_facpubs