Not long ago, the front page of a newspaper reflected the judgment of experienced editors. The lead story was chosen after rigorous debate, guided by news values such as public interest, significance, relevance, and impact. Editors acted as gatekeepers, deciding not only what people should know, but why it mattered.
Today, a different editor has taken centre stage. It has no office, no press card, no editor’s note, and no byline. It is an algorithm.
Every time we open Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, or Google News, sophisticated algorithms determine what appears on our screens. They decide which stories trend, which videos go viral, which headlines gain visibility, and which voices quietly disappear into the digital noise.
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