Development Possibilities of Underground Culture in the Current Digital Sphere

This article explores the viability of underground culture within today’s digital landscape, particularly through mainstream social media networks. Drawing from cultural studies and data science, this study investigates whether social media can serve as a platform for dissident identities and alternative content. The theoretical framework combines cultural studies contributions from Althusser, Hall, Hebdige, and others, with contemporary insights into recommendation algorithms. Methodologically, the article employs a qualitative and interdisciplinary approach: first, it defines the core characteristics of underground culture; then, it maps these traits—such as “outsider,” “rebellion,” or “DIY”—onto algorithmic variables like content, context, and causality. The findings indicate that deep-learning architectures in social platforms are technically capable of identifying and disseminating underground content. However, this capacity also neutralizes its dissident character by subsuming it into the system. The article concludes that while underground culture can exist and proliferate online, its visibility comes at the cost of its radical autonomy. The tension between self-expression and algorithmic capture prompts a final reflection: if remaining unseen preserves underground cultural authenticity but inhibits connection, does visibility represent betrayal or evolution?