
The Indicator from Planet Money
How algorithms are changing the way we speak
Aug 19, 2025 · 9 min · 9.1 MB
0:00-9:30
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Social media has birthed an entire lexicon replicated by millions online — even if these words don’t actually mean skibidi. On today’s show, we talk to author Adam Aleksic about how TikTok and Instagram's engagement metrics, and viral memes, are rewiring our brains and transforming language at warp speed.
Adam Aleksic’s book is Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language
Related episodes:
What we’re reading on the beach this summer
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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Adam Aleksic’s book is Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language
Related episodes:
What we’re reading on the beach this summer
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language
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