Reflections on Journalism and Algorithms in the Ambience of the Mediatized Public Sphere

Abstract

This article aims to characterize journalism in the context of the mediatized public sphere, focusing on the role of social media and algorithms in the context of polarization and the crisis of democracy in Brazil. To do this, we draw on a range of theoretical contributions, including theories of mediatization and the Habermasian public sphere, as well as concepts from social psychology, to analyze social events in Brazil since 2013, a crucial year marked by conflicts and polarization that impact the current public discourse. Among various approaches and analyses, our proposal is to reflect on the communicative aspect of processes in the contemporary public space. We believe there is a global crisis in the concept of modern society, which is having a negative impact on democracy, the mass media, and journalism, leading to the creation of a contemporary public space that is divided, less rational, and more emotional, shaped by the algorithmic communicative logic of technology companies.