Algorithmic Governance of Online News Policies, Censorship, and accountability

Case of Algeria

Authors

  • Nadjete BOUTELDJA Information and Communication Faculty, University of Constantine 3, Algeria.

Keywords:

Algorithmic Governance, Online News, Censorship, Accountability, Digital Platforms

Abstract

This article contributes to deepening the debate on policies adopted in Algeria to regulate online news content, and explores mechanisms for Censorship, accountability, and transparency. It also seeks to raise the following question: How can algorithmic governance of digital news content be envisioned in the context of Algerian media laws and legislation for 2023? By adopting a qualitative research method that contributes to understanding the technical impact of legal texts, it relies on a deductive approach to extracting phrases and concepts related to algorithms, supported by a critical approach. The study's results confirm that the new laws reflect a growing trend toward regulating digital news content according to specific legal frameworks, indicating that Algerian policy has prioritized human oversight through specialized bodies that monitor news content and impose penalties on violators, with the absence of precise mechanisms to regulate algorithms and hold global digital platforms accountable. To overcome these problems, the study recommends developing media legislation that focuses on artificial intelligence algorithms, promotes international cooperation and joint scientific research.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-global-overview-report

[2] Joanne Kuai, Bibo Lin, Michael Karlsson & Seth C. Lewis (2023), From Wild East to Forbidden City: Mapping Algorithmic News Distribution in China through a Case Study of Jinri Toutiao, Digital Journalism, 11:8, (1521-1541), DOI: 10.1080/21670811.2022.2121932

[3] Seth C. Lewis1, Amy Kristin Sanders, and Casey Carmody (2019), Libel by Algorithm? Automated Journalism and the Threat of Legal Liability, Journalism & Mass Communication, Vol. 96 (1) (60 –81), DOI: 10.1177/1077699018755983 http://journals.sagepub.com/home/jmq

[4] James Meese, Sara Bannerman (2022), The Algorithmic Distribution of News, Policy Responses, Palgrave Global Media Policy and Business, Macmillan. file:///C:/Users/pc/Downloads/978-3-030-87086-7.pdf, p09.

[5] David Lyon (2014), Surveillance, Snowden and Big Data: Capacities, consequences, critique, Big Data & Society (1–13), DOI: 10.1177/2053951714541861 bds.sagepub.com

[6] Katzenbach Katzenbach, Ulbricht, Lena (2019), Algorithmic governance. Internet Policy Review, 8 (4), (01-18), DOI: 10.14763/2019.4.1424

[7] https://news.radioalgerie.dz/ar/node/8571, published on 02/ 05/ 2022, date of access 30/12/ 2024.

[8] Rym Fatiha Kaddouri (2023), Legislations in Algeria Between Regulation and Restricting Freedom of Professional Practice, Journal of the facutly of Media, 8: (15), (09-29), available at https://journals.misuratau.edu.ly/media/345/2088. (written in Arabic)

[9] Porlezza, Colin, Eberwein Tobias (2022), Uncharted Territory: Datafication as a Challenge for Journalism Ethics. In: Karmasin, M., Diehl, S., Koinig, I. (eds) Media and Change Management. Springer, Cham, doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86680-8_19

[10] Eli Pariser (2011), The filter bubble: What the Internet is hiding from you, The pinguin press, New York. https://hci.stanford.edu/courses/cs047n/readings/The_Filter_Bubble.pdf

[11] Liu Lege, Norshahila Ibrahim (2024), Incidental News Exposure and Algorithmic Governance of Social Media Platforms in Ambient Journalism, International Journal of Social Science Studies, Vol. 12 (1), Published by Redfame Publishing, (14-20), doi:10.11114/ijsss.v12i1.6721

[12] Jian Xu and Terry Flew (2022), Governing the Algorithmic Distribution of News in China: The Case of Jinri Toutiao, Chapter of book, The Algorithmic Distribution of News, Palgrave Global Media Policy and Business, Springer Nature, (27-47), DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-87086-7_2

[13] Lu et al (2023), Platform governance and sociological participation, The Journal of Chinese Sociology, (1-24), doi.org/10.1186/s40711-023-00181-w

[14] Zhenbin Zuo (2020), Governance by Algorithm: China’s Social Credit System, Working Paper, (01-43), Available at https://www.finance.group.cam.ac.uk/system/files/documents/GovernancebyAlgorithm_CERF_Zhenbin6.16.2020.pdf

[15] Noam Lemelshtrich Latar, David Nordfors (2009), Digital Identities and Journalism Content How Artificial Intelligence and Journalism May Co-Develop and Why Society Should Care, Innovation Journalism Vol. 6 (7), Wallenberg Hall, Stanford University, (01-47), available at http://www.innovationjournalism.org/archive/INJO-6-7.pdf

[16] Bakhti Ibrahim 2002, The Internet in Algeria, Al-Bahet Journa, Issue 1, (26-35) (written in Arabic)

[17] https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2019-algeria

[18] Sihem Derbal (2022), Use of the deductive approach and its specificity in legal studies, Journal of law and Human Sciences, Vol. 15 (04), (485-500), available at https://asjp.cerist.dz/en/article/208436. (written in Arabic)

[19] Kamel Felih (2021-2022), Summary of lectures in Research Methodology, University of Constantine 1, available at https://uomustansiriyah.edu.iq/media/lectures/7/7_2022_05_03!09_43_46_PM.pdf. (written in Arabic)

[20] Media law (23-14), Official Journal n° 56, available at https://www.joradp.dz/FTP/JO-arabe/2023/A2023056.pdf?znjo=56

[21] Print and Electronic Press Law (23-19), Official Journal n° 77, available at https://www.joradp.dz/FTP/JO-arabe/2023/A2023077.pdf?znjo=77

[22] Reinhardt, Karoline (2021), Diversity-sensitive social platforms and responsibility, Információs Társadalom XXI, no. 2, (43–62), doi.org/10.22503/inftars.XXI.2021.2.4

[23] Neil Thurman, Seth C.Lewis and Jessica Kunert (2019), Algorithms, Automation, and News, DIGITAL JOURNALISM, VOL. 7, NO. 8, (980–992), doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2019.1685395

[24] Zamith Rodrigo (2019), Algorithms and Journalism, In Oxford Encyclopedia of Journalism Studies, edited by H. Örnebring , Y.Y. Chan , M. Carlson , S. Craft , M. Karlsson , H. Sjøvaag & H. Wasserman, Oxford University Press, available at https://oxfordre.com/communication/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-779

[25] Balazs Bodo (2019), Selling News to Audiences – A Qualitative Inquiryinto the Emerging Logics of Algorithmic NewsPersonalization in European Quality News Media, Digital Journalism, Vol. 7, N. 8, (1054–1075), doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2019.1624185, P 1057, 1063

[26] Lynge Asbjørn Møller (2023), Designing Algorithmic Editors: How Newspapers Embed and Encode Journalistic Values into News Recommender Systems, Digital Journalism, (926-944), doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2023.2215832

[27]https://www.aps.dz/ar/algerie/tag/%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%B7%D8%A9%20%D8%B6%D8%A8%D8%B7%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%8A%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%8A, published on 25/ 08/ 2023, date of access 19/ 03/ 2025

[28] https://www.mc-doualiya.com, published on, date of access

[29] General Data Protection Regulation GDPR, available at https://gdpr-info.eu/

[30] https://www.france24.com/ar/%D8%A3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A8%D8%A7/20230825-B0, published on 25/ 08/ 2023, date of access 15/ 02/ 2025.

[31] https://www.ceps.eu/ceps-projects/the-impact-of-the-german-netzdg-law/, date of access 21/03/ 2025.

[32] https://www.arcom.fr/actualites/2022-premiere-annee-de-larcom-les-temps-forts-retenir, published on 20/12/2022, date of access 21/ 02/ 2025.

[33] https://www.alarabiya.net/technology/2021/01/18/%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A8%D9%88%D9%83-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%AF%D8%A3-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%85%D8%AB%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A7, 18/ 01/ 2021, date of access 27/ 02/ 2025.

Downloads

Published

2025-11-01

Issue

Section

English articles

How to Cite

BOUTELDJA, N. (2025). Algorithmic Governance of Online News Policies, Censorship, and accountability: Case of Algeria. Journal of Human Sciences , 36(3), 15-28. http://conferences.umc.edu.dz/h/article/view/4299