Control and curation of dominant visual culture – rendering who and what is visible – is central to identity formation, particularly for LGBTQ+ communities relying on digital spaces for safe self-expression. In this work, we analyze Instagram as a site of algorithmic visual curation, performing a quantitative analysis of algorithmically mediated image feeds delivered to a gay-coded user. In this work with Garrett Souza and Nina Lutz–we discuss the findings of our quantitative visual study and implications for content curation in an increasingly monopolized social media landscape for LGBTQ+ and other marginalized users.
Paper here.