This post will exame the concept of encoding and decoding, referring to The Costs of Connection by Couldry and Mejias and Algorithms of Oppression by Noble.
They both offer crucial insights into how data and technology are reshaping human life and reinforcing systems of power.
Encoding refers to the process by which information is translated into a format that can be understood and processed by a system—like algorithms encoding data from human activity for commercial use. The Costs of Connection discusses how digital platforms encode human behaviors into data, which is then commodified and sold for profit. This encoding of life is not neutral; it reflects capitalist interests by appropriating personal data for corporate gain. Here, the human experience is reduced to data points, encoded to serve economic purposes, with little regard for the societal or ethical consequences.
On the other hand, decoding is the process by which users interpret and respond to these encoded messages. In the context of digital media, decoding often happens unconsciously. People interact with platforms that have already shaped the information they consume. This leads to a distorted view of reality, one that prioritizes profit over truth, and limits the possibility for genuine human agency.
In Algorithms of Oppression, Noble highlights how search engines, as a form of encoding, reinforce biases.
Search algorithms are NOT neutral.
These encode racial and gendered stereotypes into the results they display. Therefore they promote harmful narratives about marginalized groups. These encoded biases are then decoded by users, perpetuating systemic racism.
Encoding-decoding process isn’t about the transfer of data—it’s about how the underlying technologies (like algorithms and search engines) shape the way we interact with the information we receive. The algorithms may be “neutral” in appearance, but the content they produce reflects the inequalities inherent in the system.
Encoding data isn’t neutral—it’s political and it reflects power. It reinforces racism and sexism.
It is not just about data; it is about who benefits and who is excluded.
Couldry, N. and Mejias, U.A., 2019. The Costs of Connection: How Data Is Colonizing Human Life and Appropriating It for Capitalism. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
Noble, S.U., 2018. Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism. New York: New York University Press.
