Show Me Your Algorithm

“Show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are.” Many of us grew up hearing this phrase—or, later in life, found ourselves passing it on as wisdom to younger generations. It speaks to the idea that our identities are shaped by the company we keep.

But in 2025, company doesn’t just mean people. Increasingly, it means platforms—and the algorithms that drive them.

In the most recent U.S. election, social media was cited as a driving force in shaping political opinion. President Donald Trump even claimed to have “won the young people by 37%” thanks to his digital presence. While this isn’t a commentary on Trump or the election itself, it’s worth noting what such statements reveal: algorithms have become global power brokers.

Where once peer groups shaped our values, now recommendation engines do. From the news we consume to the communities we form, our digital experiences are increasingly filtered by unseen hands.

Maybe it’s time to revise the adage: Show me your algorithm, and I’ll tell you who you are.