When Algorithms and Virality Attempt to Shift the Function of the Press

Discussions on social media remain heated regarding the meeting between the Indonesian Presidential Communication Body (Bakom) and several ‘homeless media’ entities during the Indonesia New Media Forum (INMF). The controversy arises not merely from the existence of potential cooperation contracts, but from a more fundamental question: why are digital platform-based media, which grow outside formal press institutions, gaining strategic positions in Indonesia’s public communication?

This question is vital because the emergence of homeless media does not just signify the birth of new information channels, but reflects a fundamental shift in the digital information ecosystem. Previously, public information was delivered through press institutions with clear gatekeeping mechanisms—ranging from editorial processes and verification to journalistic standards. Now, public information consumption is increasingly influenced by algorithms, virality, and engagement. In this context, homeless media find fertile ground to grow.

This piece argues that the emergence of homeless media is not merely a phenomenon of alternative media birth, but a symptom of a transforming digital information ecosystem where the distribution of public information is increasingly determined by algorithmic logic rather than journalistic logic. In such conditions, homeless media gain influence through their ability to adapt to digital platform mechanisms, while the functions of the press as information gatekeepers are gradually shifting.

Remotivi (2024) defines homeless media as a form of social media-based informal local news—information distribution actors based on social media that grow outside formal media structures and use digital platforms as their primary distribution space. Research shows that most homeless media operate almost entirely through social media, without websites or established institutional media structures. Their information distribution relies heavily on algorithms and audience contributions through photos, videos, or daily event reports.

These findings indicate that homeless media thrive due to characteristics that align perfectly with the logic of digital platforms. Their influence does not stem from institutional legitimacy like mainstream media, but from their ability to achieve visibility within the platform ecosystem. In other words, their primary strength lies in their ability to follow the rhythm of algorithms and real-time digital conversations.

Unlike conventional press institutions that possess editorial rooms, organisational structures, and clear accountability mechanisms, homeless media exist almost entirely through digital platforms. They depend on algorithms to reach audiences, rely on user engagement to expand content distribution, and follow the rhythm of conversations evolving on social media.

The involvement of homeless media in the Indonesia New Media Forum demonstrates that digital platform-based information distribution actors are now being viewed as strategic public communication channels. The fact that they are involved in national-level communication forums shows that their influence can no longer be overlooked. For many, the ability to reach audiences quickly and widely through digital platforms is an attraction that is difficult to ignore.

The Press No Longer Determines the Public Agenda

To understand why homeless media are gaining increasingly strategic positions, this phenomenon must be viewed as part of the transformation of the digital information ecosystem. This change relates not only to the emergence of new information distribution actors but also to the changing mechanisms of how information gains public attention.

Bruns and Highfield (2015) refer to this transformation as a shift from ‘gatekeeping’ to ‘gatewatching’. In the gatekeeping model, the media acts as a gatekeeper determining what information is worthy of public knowledge. Conversely, in gatewatching, information distribution is no longer monopolised by media institutions but involves various digital actors who select, comment on, and spread information.

Nicholas Thurman (2015) reinforces this argument by showing that the internet has changed the relationship between media and the audience. While the public previously acted primarily as information recipients, they are now also distributors, commentators, and deciders of which information receives widespread attention.

This change means that press institutions are no longer the sole determinants of the public agenda. Journalistic authority must now share space with content creators, digital communities, influencers, and homeless media, who gain influence not through institutional legitimacy, but through their ability to command public attention.

Algorithmic Politics and Digital Infrastructure

This shift becomes even more complex when digital platforms no longer function as neutral distribution channels. Gillespie (2018) refers to them as ‘new gatekeepers’, where the visibility of information is determined by various moderation and content distribution mechanisms. Meanwhile, Bucher (2018) reinforces that algorithmic power works through the regulation of visibility, determining which content is more likely to be seen, shared, and discussed by the public.

Consequently, content capable of generating high clicks, comments, shares, and engagement tends to receive wider distribution than content that is merely informative. This engagement-based information distribution model becomes increasingly dominant as social media is used massively by the public. The higher the intensity of platform usage, the greater the role of algorithms in determining the flow of consumed information.