Dr Ashwani Kumar
In every society, ideologies have served as frameworks through which individuals can understand their lives and find meaning. These frameworks emerge from various cultural institutions, including religion, education, media, and polity, all reflecting their historical, social, and economic contexts. However, the digital society brings a new type of ideology, called algorithmic ideology. This ideology does not result from public discourse or cultural exchange; it silently emerges out of the logic of algorithms, deeply influencing societal norms and aspirations.
Algorithmic ideology works through code that monitors user behaviour across platforms such as social media, e-commerce, and entertainment. Instead of promoting community engagement or collective improvement, it focuses mainly on predicting behaviour and generating profit. This focus leads to a highly curated reality, immersing users in a digital world filled with images, products, relationships, and aspirations that often starkly contrast with their real-life experiences and contexts.
In contrast to classical ideologies, which are usually instantiated with identifiable sources like political figures or religious groups, algorithmic ideology is produced anonymously in and through data and machine learning. This invisibility poses a substantial threat, as people engage with online platforms without realizing the forces that shape their experiences.
Ideology usually forms from complex interactions among family influence, education, social class, and cultural exposure. However, the prevalence of algorithmic content a direct result of digital consumption, has changed the sources of aspiration, especially for young people. Images and stories pushed by algorithms often celebrate excess, showcasing fantasies centered around spending, wealth, and material success. This shift places consumption at the centre of identity formation and personal value rather than community involvement and social responsibility.
Young consumers who are still figuring out their identities take these algorithmically curated images as normal possibilities instead of distant promotions. What starts as simple exposure turns into an accepted narrative, where lifestyles shown by influencers and curated feeds set standards for success. This process reveals how algorithmic ideology works; it attracts individuals not through societal force but through the allure of desire, redefining social aspirations in ways that may conflict with their realities.
The social issue arises from the the fantasies created by algorithmic ideologies often ignore the social, economic, and cultural realities of individuals. For instance, a person from a modest, rural background may aspire to a lifestyle portrayed by urban influencers, facing significant barriers in terms of social capital and available opportunities that make such aspirations unachievable. The disconnection from real circumstances can lead to feelings of alienation as aspirations develop in a digital space disconnected from the actual world. Most importantly people prefer to spend time on the screen not to represent their actual understanding, but instead imaginary understanding.
Consequently, much of the ideological content people consume through digital platforms may contradict the values and social norms of a person’s native community. For instance, ideas of individualism, open relationships, and conspicuous consumption may be unacceptable in certain settings, potentially causing cognitive dissonance. As a result, individuals find themselves caught between a digital fantasy world and their immediate social realities. This kind of alienation-a key theme in Marxist sociology takes on new forms in the digital age, marked by separation from both one’s labour and social truths.
Let’s understand the implications of algorithmic ideology with the help of Robert K. Merton’s theory of deviance. According to Merton, individuals who embrace societal goals but lack the means to achieve them may feel strain, which eventually could lead to deviant behaviour. In a digital context, algorithmic ideologies raise expectations, presenting a reality where love means constant excitement, success means instant recognition, and happiness equals visible wealth.
This gap between fantasies and actual realities can create significant social stress, especially for vulnerable youth. Their self-esteem becomes linked to digital validation, measured through likes, shares, and followers, making them evaluate their self-worth against algorithmic ideals. Falling short of these expectations can lead to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, depression, and sometimes reckless behaviour as they try to bridge the gap between their real lives and the definitions of success set by algorithms. In2022 report by Lokniti-CSDSexplored that over 65% of Indian youth between 15-24 years feel strain to project an ideal life on social media, even when it contradicts their real life situations. This dilemma often leads to low self-worth, anxiety, depression, body image issues, and in some cases, suicidal idealization. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2022 report, over 13,000 students died by suicide in India, with academic pressure, social isolation, and fear of failure listed as key factors. These statistics underscore how algorithmically mediated aspirations, disconnected from ground realities, are not merely ideological concerns but urgent social crises affecting India’s next generation.
The link between algorithmic ideology and mental health is especially troubling. The idea of the “good life” is increasingly defined by visibility, desirability, and luxury, overshadowing traditional values like community, mutual respect, and resilience. In this new social framework, consumption becomes a key measure of self-worth, and identity depends on the ability to project certain ideals, often seen through the lens of digital content.The complexities brought on by algorithmic ideology call for an in-depth sociological look at their effects on individual aspirations and societal involvement. Digital platforms, with their powerful yet often hidden influence, change how people define their identities and navigate their social experiences. Exploring these themes raises important questions about the relationship between technology, culture, and human experience in an increasingly digital world, particularly concerning aspiration, fulfilment, and collective identity.
As Louis Althusser argued, the state has historically kept its authority not just through force but also through Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs). These include education, media, religion, and the family, which help spread dominant beliefs and support the social order. The state largely controlled these apparatuses, aiming to connect individual beliefs with common goals. In State like India, we still expect the state to create ideological frameworks that are practical and benefit Indian society as a whole. This expectation shows that Indian society and the Indian state are deeply connected; they cannot be separated.
However, a significant concern arises in the age of digital capitalism: the growth of algorithmic ideology, which is not created or regulated by the state. These ideologies come from non-state actorstech companies and platforms driven by profit-focused algorithmsthat now shape public opinion and personal goals on a large scale. Even today, the state does not fully control this process, leading to a serious sociopolitical issue.
No stable society or functioning state can afford to hand over the creation of ideology completely to unaccountable, profit-driven, non-state actors. If the ideological landscape is shaped by hidden algorithms instead of democratic discussions or cultural exchanges, then the state’s role in ensuring social cohesion and shared meaning is greatly weakened.This change requires immediate political focus. The ideological role once held by institutions with public oversight is now taken over by digital platforms run by unseen rules of engagement, profit, and virality. Thus, reclaiming the production of ideology becomes crucial not only for cultural survival but also for democratic responsibility in a world influenced by algorithms.
(The author is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at UILS, Chandigarh University)