Introduction: Governing the Algorithmic Distribution of the News

Abstract

AbstractThe algorithmic distribution of news on digital platforms has become an increasingly prominent policy issue. There are concerns about the ability of technology companies like Google and Facebook to independently modify their algorithms, arbitrarily changing how news is distributed across their services. This dramatically affects people who want to access news and news outlets who want audiences to reach their websites. Governments are also worried about misinformation and hate speech and whether algorithmic distribution amplifies these activities. In this chapter, we canvass these regulatory trends and outline some of the more popular conceptual responses. We go on to introduce historical institutionalism, the theoretical and methodological approach that informs the collection as a whole. After this, we summarize the major themes from this collection, before introducing each chapter and ending with a reflection on future research directions for journalism and media policy scholars.