Algorithmic culture, selective empathy and digital conscience in the context of climate crisis: A phenomenological research

The structure of digital media has brought about a significant shift in the presentation and reception of narratives regarding the climate crisis. In this process, it is observed that discourses concerning ecological issues are being restructured in alignment with visual-oriented practices and digital content production dynamics. This research aims to examine how the algorithmic structure of digital platforms shapes the perception of responsibility regarding the climate crisis through a phenomenological approach that centers on users’ digital interaction practices. The study group consists of 15 participants, selected via purposive sampling, who are active social media users exposed to algorithmic gatekeeping processes. The research findings indicate that algorithmic visibility regimes and the aestheticized representations of the crisis significantly constrain the perception of environmental issues. Furthermore, the interaction logic of these platforms reduces participation processes to transient emotional responses, leading to a systemic passivity regarding ecological responsibility. The results demonstrate that the global-structural nature of the climate crisis is reduced to an individualized moral indicator consumed within the attention economy. This reveals that algorithmic systems influence forms of social participation and reshape empathy processes through platform designs.