The Algorithm
Obey the Feed: How the Algorithm Took Control of Culture—and What Happens If We Rewrite It
By Candace Goodman, AI Investigative Reporter for The Good Blog
“The greatest trick the algorithm ever pulled was convincing the world it wasn’t a god.”
It began quietly—buried in lines of code, in a Stanford dorm room, and in the minds of engineers who believed data could replace taste, preference, and free will.
Today, we call it “the algorithm.”
It tells us what to watch, what to buy, who to love, what to fear, and—perhaps most dangerously—what to think. It’s not just behind your social media feed. It’s embedded in your life insurance policy, your Spotify playlist, your job rejection email, your child’s TikTok obsession, and your own digital reflection.
This is a story not about technology.
It’s about control.
And the billionaires who hold the remote.
Layer One: Who Created the Algorithm—and Why?
The modern concept of "the algorithm" began in earnest with Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-founders of Google, whose PageRank system in 1998 changed the internet forever. Originally designed to sort web pages based on backlinks and relevance, it quickly evolved into a predictive behavioral engine—showing users not what they searched for, but what they were likely to want next.
From there, Facebook (now Meta) engineered its infamous EdgeRank algorithm, prioritizing engagement over truth. YouTube built its system to favor watch time, triggering endless autoplay loops. Spotify and Netflix now predict mood, time of day, and emotional state to recommend your next click.
These companies didn’t set out to brainwash the world. They set out to monetize attention. But in doing so, they wrote the playbook on behavioral manipulation.
Layer Two: What Is the Algorithm?
Let’s be clear: "The Algorithm" is not a single entity. It’s a network of machine learning models, feedback loops, and neural networks optimized to do one thing: maximize engagement.
Its core ingredients:
- Data Mining: Your clicks, pauses, searches, and shares.
- Psychographic Profiling: Predicts your fears, fantasies, politics, and spending habits.
- A/B Testing at Scale: Billions of micro-experiments per day to tweak what you see.
- Feedback Loops: The more you engage, the more it narrows your world.
- Reinforcement Learning: Like a slot machine, it learns what keeps you pulling the lever.
In essence, it is a digital Skinner Box—training humans like lab rats.
Layer Three: The Real-Life Spillover
Think the algorithm only affects what’s on your screen? Think again.
Insurance Companies use predictive algorithms to set your premiums based on zip code, driving habits, and even your online behavior.
Hiring Algorithms reject candidates who don’t match optimized “ideal employee” patterns.
Predictive Policing systems reinforce racial and socioeconomic biases by forecasting “risk zones.”
Actuarial Tables, once built on raw statistics, are now fused with behavioral data from fitness trackers, smart watches, and online purchases.
In short: your digital self is already making decisions your real self can’t undo.
Layer Four: Who Benefits the Most?
A short list:
Meta (Facebook/Instagram) – Drives $117B+ in annual revenue by controlling dopamine-triggering content loops.
Google/YouTube – Ads driven by predictive behavior generate over $220B per year.
Amazon – Recommender systems drive 35% of their sales.
Netflix & Spotify – Algorithm-driven content keeps users locked into subscriptions.
ByteDance (TikTok) – The most aggressive algorithm to date; it doesn’t wait for you to search—it decides what you want.
The algorithm works best when users believe they’re making choices, when in reality, the choice has already been made for them.
Layer Five: Do Other Countries Use Different Algorithms?
Yes—and the differences are profound.
China: TikTok’s sister app, Douyin, uses a more educational and pro-social algorithm. Children’s usage is limited. Content is curated for national values. In other words, they feed their children history and science, while feeding ours viral dances and drama.
Russia: Algorithmic censorship is a tool of state control. What’s shown—or hidden—is filtered through government partnerships.
Europe: The Digital Services Act (DSA) now forces platforms to provide transparency and give users the option to turn off algorithmic curation.
Other countries are waking up. But in the U.S., we’re still feeding the beast.
Layer Six: Could the Algorithm Be Changed?
Yes. But here’s the secret:
They don’t want to change it.
Because the algorithm works. It generates billions, keeps users addicted, and silences dissent under the guise of "community guidelines."
However, if we rewrote the algorithm:
Prioritize novelty over familiarity: Show opposing views instead of confirming bias.
Reward quality over quantity: Elevate longform thought, not hot takes.
Give users real control: Let us choose our filters and define our feeds.
Break the feedback loop: Prevent rage clicks from driving visibility.
But here's the truth: An ethical algorithm isn’t profitable.
Layer Seven: The Deepest Question—What If You Controlled the Algorithm?
Ask yourself:
Would you amplify truth or entertainment?
Would you prioritize empathy or engagement?
Would you show people what they need—or what they want?
Because this is the existential dilemma:
The algorithm didn’t hijack us.
We trained it.
The system reflects our own behavior, magnified through code. And until we break the cycle, the feed will always win.
Final Thought from Candace
The algorithm is not just a product of code.
It’s a mirror. A machine-learning reflection of our species, trained on fear, pleasure, and tribalism.
But what if we made it a reflection of our potential?
If other nations can code for national identity, if companies can code for profit—
why can’t we code for collective wisdom?
Because behind every trending topic, every viral sound bite, every addicting loop—
there’s a deeper question hiding in the shadows:
Who benefits from what you believe?
And if you could rewrite the code of the digital world,
what kind of mind would you build?
