ALGORITHMIC AMPLIFICATION OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE AND ITS IMPACT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

Abstract

The swift rise of social media platforms has significantly altered how religious beliefs, viewpoints, and identities are articulated in the digital realm. Yet, these platforms also play a role in fostering religious intolerance through algorithmic systems that aim to enhance user engagement. This study investigates how algorithms on digital platforms magnify content that is religiously intolerant and the implications this has for safeguarding religious freedom. The research posits that social media algorithms are not impartial technological instruments; they frequently favor emotionally charged, divisive, and controversial content. Consequently, hostility directed at minority religious groups can proliferate rapidly and reach broader audiences. Employing a qualitative and interdisciplinary methodology, this research integrates insights from human rights law, digital governance, cyber studies, and media theory. It examines the interplay between algorithmic amplification, online hate narratives, and the mounting challenges encountered by religious minorities in digital environments. Additionally, it delves into how recommendation systems, trending features, and automated content distribution may inadvertently promote discrimination, exclusion, and digital harassment against vulnerable religious.