Individual autonomy at risk? Algorithmic governmentality and the constitution of the subject

Abstract

Despite the ubiquitous presence of algorithms in human life, notably through social media, some effects of their massive application are still imperceptible for most users. This study examines the weakening of the subject's constitution due to the emergence and massification of algorithms. The issue is approached philosophically, taking as a starting point the Foucauldian analysis of power, and then developing the concept of algorithmic governmentality, examining whether and how it is capable of undermining individual autonomy. It is concluded that algorithms, more than acting directly on the individual (user), transform the informational environment, giving rise to a passive subject, with rarefied subjectivations and reduced capacity to criticize and resist.