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Algospeak
In social media, algospeak is a self-censorship phenomenon in which users adopt coded expressions to evade real or imagined automated content moderation. It allows users to discuss topics deemed sensitive to moderation algorithms while avoiding penalties such as shadow banning, downranking, or de-monetization of content. A type of netspeak, algospeak primarily serves to bypass censorship, though it can also reinforce group belonging, especially in marginalized communities. Algospeak has been identified as one source of linguistic change in the modern era, with some terms spreading into everyday offline speech and writing. The term has been used more broadly to include any language change driven by digital usage.
The term algospeak–a blend of Algorithm and -speak—appears to date back to 2021, though related ideas have existed for longer. In 2018, the internet researcher Emily van der Nagel coined the terms Voldemorting and screenshotting, two strategies social media users use to avoid giving attention to objectionable figures or attracting algorithmic attention from unwanted audiences. "Voldemorting" is named after Harry Potter character Lord Voldemort, aka "You-Know-Who" or "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named", and involves obfuscating the referent of a post by avoiding directly mentioning a name or a term. Screenshotting refers to the act of sharing screenshots instead of machine-readable text.
The term algospeak gained wider recognition in 2022 after Taylor Lorenz featured it in an article for The Washington Post. In 2025, Adam Aleksic published Algospeak, the first monograph dedicated to the phenomenon. It proposes an expanded definition which encompasses any language change that is primarily driven by the constraints of digital platforms.
Many social media platforms rely on automated content moderation systems to enforce their guidelines, which the users often have no control over and may be changed at any time. TikTok in particular uses artificial intelligence to proactively moderate content, in addition to responding to user reports and using human moderators. In colloquial usage, such systems are called "algorithms" or "bots". TikTok has faced criticism for its unequal enforcement on topics such as LGBTQ people and obesity, leading to a perception that social media moderation is contradictory and inconsistent.
Between July and September 2024, TikTok reported removing 150 million videos, 120 million of which were flagged by automated systems. Automated moderation may miss important context; for example, benign communities who aid people who struggle with self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or past sexual violence may inadvertently receive unwarranted penalties. TikTok users have used algospeak to discuss and provide support to those who self-harm. An interview with nineteen TikTok creators revealed that they felt TikTok's moderation lacked contextual understanding, appeared random, was often inaccurate, and exhibited bias against marginalized communities.
Algospeak is also used in communities promoting harmful behaviors. Anti-vaccination Facebook groups began renaming themselves to "dance party" or "dinner party" to avoid being flagged for misinformation. Likewise, communities that encourage the eating disorder anorexia nervosa have been employing algospeak. Euphemisms like "cheese pizza" are used to refer to child pornography.
On TikTok, moderation decisions can result in consequences such as account bans and deletion or delisting of videos from the main video discovery page, called the "For You" page. In response, a TikTok spokeswoman told The New York Times that the users' fears are misplaced, saying that many popular videos discuss sex-adjacent topics.
Algospeak uses techniques akin to those used in Aesopian language to conceal the intended meaning from automated content filters, while being understandable to human readers. Other similar adoption of obfuscated speech include Cockney rhyming slang and Polari, which historically were used by London gangs and British gay men. However, unlike other forms of obfuscated speech, the global reach of social media has allowed the language to spread beyond local settings.
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Algospeak
In social media, algospeak is a self-censorship phenomenon in which users adopt coded expressions to evade real or imagined automated content moderation. It allows users to discuss topics deemed sensitive to moderation algorithms while avoiding penalties such as shadow banning, downranking, or de-monetization of content. A type of netspeak, algospeak primarily serves to bypass censorship, though it can also reinforce group belonging, especially in marginalized communities. Algospeak has been identified as one source of linguistic change in the modern era, with some terms spreading into everyday offline speech and writing. The term has been used more broadly to include any language change driven by digital usage.
The term algospeak–a blend of Algorithm and -speak—appears to date back to 2021, though related ideas have existed for longer. In 2018, the internet researcher Emily van der Nagel coined the terms Voldemorting and screenshotting, two strategies social media users use to avoid giving attention to objectionable figures or attracting algorithmic attention from unwanted audiences. "Voldemorting" is named after Harry Potter character Lord Voldemort, aka "You-Know-Who" or "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named", and involves obfuscating the referent of a post by avoiding directly mentioning a name or a term. Screenshotting refers to the act of sharing screenshots instead of machine-readable text.
The term algospeak gained wider recognition in 2022 after Taylor Lorenz featured it in an article for The Washington Post. In 2025, Adam Aleksic published Algospeak, the first monograph dedicated to the phenomenon. It proposes an expanded definition which encompasses any language change that is primarily driven by the constraints of digital platforms.
Many social media platforms rely on automated content moderation systems to enforce their guidelines, which the users often have no control over and may be changed at any time. TikTok in particular uses artificial intelligence to proactively moderate content, in addition to responding to user reports and using human moderators. In colloquial usage, such systems are called "algorithms" or "bots". TikTok has faced criticism for its unequal enforcement on topics such as LGBTQ people and obesity, leading to a perception that social media moderation is contradictory and inconsistent.
Between July and September 2024, TikTok reported removing 150 million videos, 120 million of which were flagged by automated systems. Automated moderation may miss important context; for example, benign communities who aid people who struggle with self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or past sexual violence may inadvertently receive unwarranted penalties. TikTok users have used algospeak to discuss and provide support to those who self-harm. An interview with nineteen TikTok creators revealed that they felt TikTok's moderation lacked contextual understanding, appeared random, was often inaccurate, and exhibited bias against marginalized communities.
Algospeak is also used in communities promoting harmful behaviors. Anti-vaccination Facebook groups began renaming themselves to "dance party" or "dinner party" to avoid being flagged for misinformation. Likewise, communities that encourage the eating disorder anorexia nervosa have been employing algospeak. Euphemisms like "cheese pizza" are used to refer to child pornography.
On TikTok, moderation decisions can result in consequences such as account bans and deletion or delisting of videos from the main video discovery page, called the "For You" page. In response, a TikTok spokeswoman told The New York Times that the users' fears are misplaced, saying that many popular videos discuss sex-adjacent topics.
Algospeak uses techniques akin to those used in Aesopian language to conceal the intended meaning from automated content filters, while being understandable to human readers. Other similar adoption of obfuscated speech include Cockney rhyming slang and Polari, which historically were used by London gangs and British gay men. However, unlike other forms of obfuscated speech, the global reach of social media has allowed the language to spread beyond local settings.