The Algorithmic Gaze: Data Literacy as Cultural Resistance

Introduction

Have you ever felt like your phone “knows you too well?” You search for a paella recipe, and soon after, ads for rice, pans, and food getaways start popping up. It’s not magic or a coincidence—it’s the algorithmic gaze.

We’re surrounded by systems that interpret and classify every digital interaction we make. Our clicks, searches, and scrolls are converted into data that feeds automated models. These models don’t just show us information; they decide what we see, in what order, and with what emphasis. In other words, they shape our experience of the world.

What is the “Algorithmic Gaze”?

The algorithmic gaze describes how algorithms “see” reality: filtering it, quantifying it, and organizing it according to programmed criteria.

Philosophically, it is reminiscent of the panopticon described by Michel Foucault: a structure of constant surveillance that influences the behavior of those who know they might be watched. Today, it’s not a guard who watches, but digital platforms that continuously collect data.

The philosopher Jordi Pigem summarizes it this way: “the algorithmic gaze reduces the world to quantifiable objects, ready to be manipulated and commercialized.” What doesn’t fit into data is simply lost.

Surveillance Capitalism

The algorithmic gaze operates within a very specific economic context: surveillance capitalism, a concept popularized by Shoshana Zuboff to describe the business model based on extracting, processing, and monetizing personal data.

In this system, we are not so much customers as raw material. Data about our actions is used to predict—and sometimes influence—our future decisions.

Key cultural effects include:

Normalization of surveillance: we assume everything is being recorded.
Information bubbles: we see more of what confirms our beliefs and less of what challenges us.
Loss of autonomy: our choices are filtered by what an algorithm prioritizes for us.

Data Literacy: More Than a Technical Skill

Data literacy is often understood as the ability to read graphs, interpret tables, or manage spreadsheets. But in the age of surveillance capitalism, it’s much more: it’s a form of cultural and ethical resistance.

It involves developing the ability to:

Question where data comes from and how it’s collected.
Detect biases and limitations in metrics.
Understand how algorithms affect our perceptions.
Make informed decisions to protect privacy and cultural diversity.

A critically data-literate citizenry doesn’t just consume information; it interprets it, questions it, and demands transparency.

Strategies for a Digital Humanism

For data literacy to be transformative, we need action at multiple levels:

Education: integrate data skills and critical thinking from school to professional training.
Citizen outreach: accessible workshops and resources for all audiences.
Algorithmic transparency: demand clear explanations of how systems that influence our decisions work.
Ethical design: audits and impact assessments before launching digital products.
Culture of reflection: balance technological efficiency with human values like empathy, creativity, and critical thinking.

Reclaiming the Gaze

Data literacy is not a luxury, but a basic skill for living autonomously in the 21st century. In the face of the algorithmic gaze, we need to develop our own critical gaze: one that also observes algorithms, questions their assumptions, and defends human values against the exclusive logic of profit.

In a world where everything seems to be measured, let’s remember that not everything valuable is quantifiable. And as citizens, we can and should decide how we want to be seen… and how we see the digital world.

In the age of surveillance capitalism, becoming data-literate is becoming power-literate.