Algorithms play an increasingly significant role in shaping the way we navigate and interact with the digital world, including social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. These algorithms are designed to promote posts based on their relevance and popularity, often resulting in the amplification of certain viewpoints while silencing others. This tendency can have serious consequences for marginalized groups, including people from minority communities who may face discrimination, harassment, and censorship online. One such group is the LGBTQ+ community, whose voices are all too frequently muted or ignored in favor of more mainstream perspectives. In this article, we will explore how algorithms reproduce societal biases that marginalize queer voices online, focusing specifically on the case of gender identity and sexual orientation.
The issue begins with the fact that most social media platforms require users to select a gender when creating their account. While this seems innocuous enough, it actually reinforces the idea that there are only two genders - male and female - which excludes nonbinary individuals and those who identify as neither or both. This bias is then perpetuated by the algorithm's preference for posts that match the majority viewpoint, which means that nonbinary content is likely to be suppressed.
If someone searches for "gender," they might see articles about transgender issues or discussions of pronouns, but not much else. Similarly, a search for "sexual orientation" would return results related to heterosexuality, monogamy, and marriage, but little else.
Another way in which algorithms reproduce societal biases is through content recommendations. When users engage with content related to sexuality or intimacy, algorithms tend to prioritize posts that reflect traditional norms, such as straight relationships, monogamous couples, or even pornography featuring cisgender individuals. As a result, queer voices may struggle to gain traction, while alternative perspectives are silenced. This can have serious consequences for individuals seeking support, advice, or connection, as well as for LGBTQ+ communities trying to raise awareness and visibility.
Algorithms also tend to favor content that is sensationalist or polarizing, meaning that posts that challenge conventional views on sex, sexuality, and relationships may not receive as much attention as more mainstream opinions. This bias can further marginalize queer voices, as they may find it harder to reach audiences beyond their immediate circles.
Algorithms play an important role in shaping online discourse, including how we talk about gender identity and sexual orientation. By reproducing societal biases that privilege the majority viewpoint, these algorithms can silence minority voices and limit access to information. It is therefore essential that we work towards creating more inclusive platforms that support all identities and perspectives.
How do algorithms reproduce societal biases that marginalize queer voices online?
Algorithms are computer programs designed to solve specific problems based on a set of rules and data. They can learn from past experiences and improve their decision making over time. The social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have been using algorithms for recommending content to users based on their interests, history, and interactions. When these algorithms are trained with biased data, they may reproduce societal biases that marginalize queer voices online by promoting heteronormative content over queer voices.