Social Media and Algorithms: The Fragmentation of Collective Imaginaries in the Digital Age

An Analysis Through the Lens of Cornelius Castoriadis’ "World in Fragments"

Cornelius Castoriadis, in his concept of the world in fragments, describes a society where collective imaginaries—once carriers of coherence and shared meaning—shatter under the influence of economic, political, and social forces. In the era of social media and algorithms, this fragmentation has intensified. Digital platforms, ostensibly tools for connection, in reality contribute to dividing communities, exacerbating conflicts, and atomizing worldviews.

The Role of Social Media in Fragmentation

Social media, designed to maximize engagement, exploits cognitive biases, particularly the preference for information that confirms existing beliefs (confirmation bias). Recommendation algorithms, favoring content that elicits strong emotional reactions, confine users in filter bubbles and echo chambers, where only perspectives aligned with their own imaginaries dominate.

Concrete Examples

1. U.S. Elections of 2016 and 2020

   • Facebook disclosed that 64% of extremist group memberships on its platform resulted from algorithmic suggestions.

   • A 2018 MIT study revealed that false information was 70% more likely to be shared than verified information, fueling political divisions.

   • The rise of QAnon exemplified the emergence of radical sub-imaginaries, reinforced by YouTube and Twitter algorithms.

2. Religious Conflicts in India

   • WhatsApp, with its 530 million users in India, became a fertile ground for spreading fake news, including rumors that led to mob lynchings of Muslims. In 2021, doctored videos further inflamed religious tensions, amplifying existing historical divides.

3. Disinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

   • In 2020, Facebook and Instagram were the primary sources for 40% of Americans who believed the pandemic was a political fabrication.

   • Anti-vaccine groups organized into hermetic communities, strengthened by algorithms suggesting similar content. The result: increased vaccine hesitancy and heightened societal tensions.

Algorithms: Amplifiers of Fractures

Algorithms, at the heart of digital platforms, are not neutral. They follow a commercial logic that prioritizes attention and screen time. This dynamic exacerbates existing divides by:

• Creating ideological rifts: Opponents on issues (e.g., climate change) are pushed toward polarized content, deepening mutual misunderstanding.

• Encouraging radicalization: Algorithms recommend increasingly extreme content to sustain user interest.

• Reinforcing cultural and economic inequalities: Algorithmic platforms amplify the loudest voices while excluding minority or nuanced perspectives.

Social and Political Consequences

• Erosion of Social Cohesion: Collective imaginaries fragment into mutually exclusive sub-groups. For instance, in France, the "gilets jaunes" (Yellow Vests) and their critics operated within completely disjointed informational universes, making dialogue nearly impossible.

• Propaganda and Manipulation: Foreign actors exploit these fractures. In 2018, reports revealed that Russia spent $1.25 million per month to fuel racial and social tensions in the U.S. via social media.

• Weakening of Democracy: Citizens, exposed to divergent narratives, lose trust in institutions and the possibility of a shared public space.

A Missed Opportunity for Collective Imaginaries

Social media could have revitalized collective imaginaries by offering platforms for global dialogue. However, their current architecture promotes polarization rather than exchange. This dynamic reinforces Castoriadis’ conclusion: without a collective project, modern societies remain trapped in a cycle of fragmentation, where each group defends its own symbolic universe, often at the expense of others.

Toward Solutions: A Collective Imperative

To mitigate this fragmentation:

1. Algorithmic Transparency: Require platforms to disclose their recommendation processes and social impacts.

2. Digital Education: Train citizens to identify biases and diversify their information sources.

3. Platform Regulation: Introduce standards to reduce the spread of polarizing or hateful content.

4. Create Shared Digital Spaces: Encourage platforms that promote dialogue and cooperation.

Social media, while divisive today, can still be reinvented to support inclusive and coherent collective imaginaries. To achieve this, as Castoriadis suggested, societies must reinvest in the idea of a shared project where fragments cease to be isolated islands and become pieces of a larger whole.