Der Algorithmus, bei dem man mit muss? Ein Perspektivwechsel

Martina Skrubbeltrang Mahnke

Department of Communication

Original language	German
Journal	Communicatio Socialis
Volume	48
Issue number	1
ISSN	0010-3497
Publication status	Published - 27 Mar 2015

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Algorithmic personalization has been discussed controversially in public debate, lar- gely based on a mechanistic understanding of algorithms. Concretely, algorithms are understood within the framework of information theory as step-by-step-instructions. This understanding is useful from the angle of computer science, however, it puts little emphasis on the actual user behavior, which plays a far greater role than current research acknowledges. Therefore, this essay argues for a conceptual understanding of algorithmic personalization, which includes both the algorithmic operation mode as well as user behavior. Thus, algorithmic personalization can be understood as a dynamic communication process between the algorithms and its users. This conceptual understanding serves as a first step towards a theoretical perspective, that focusses on the algorithm-user relationship. Such a theoretical perspective may contribute to- wards the parity of algorithm and the user, whose agency is assumed to be equally influential.

Cite this

@article{693d6eb77d314a849a38b88179ac2b9d,

title = "Der Algorithmus, bei dem man mit muss? Ein Perspektivwechsel",

author = "Mahnke, {Martina Skrubbeltrang}",

year = "2015",

month = mar,

day = "27",

language = "Tysk",

volume = "48",

journal = "Communicatio Socialis",

issn = "0010-3497",

publisher = "MatthiasGruenewald Verlag",

number = "1",

}