Algoritmi e vita quotidiana: un approccio socio-comunicativo critico

The article provides the theoretical background for the special issue, which proposes to consider algorithms as reflections and products of broader political, social and cultural processes. A critical socio-communicative approach to algorithms allows researchers to recognise their scope and significance within the broader process of mediatisation, i.e. the pervasive influence of media on society and culture. In particular, algorithms characterise the current phase of deep mediatisation, defined by processes of digitisation and datafication. Moving beyond a conception of algorithms as 'neutral mediators', it is crucial to question both how they are generated and how people perceive their agency in everyday life - as the term algorithmic imaginary effectively sums up. Thus, an approach that embraces the affective and performative dimensions of algorithms becomes central, shifting the focus away from the question of algorithmic power per se. Finally, the article presents the main insights of the six articles selected for the special issue on the creation and use of algorithms in different social contexts and media environments.