Coded to Exhaustion: The Hidden Cost of Outsmarting the Algorithm

Algospeak and the Cost of Speaking Under Algorithmic SuppressionWhen millions of creators have to say 'unalive' instead of suicide and use a grape emoji instead of talking about rape, something has gone wrong. In this episode, Dr. Leslie Poston discusses her dissertation research on the psychological impact of algospeak, the deliberate language modifications social media creators use to evade algorithmic content moderation, where those strategies actually come from, what happens when they spread, and what it costs the people who need them most. Portions of this research are currently being prepared for peer-reviewed journal publication. Dissertation successfully defended June 2026, in process for publication July 2026, available to public mid-to-end August 2026.00:00 Welcome and Setup00:44 What Is Algospeak02:40 Origins and Raciolinguistics04:13 Why I Studied This05:28 Methods and Dataset07:03 Emotional Toll08:54 Cognitive Load12:50 "Neutralization Lifecycle"15:11 Beyond Algorithms Harassment16:10 What Needs to Change17:53 What Changed Since Study19:31 Key Takeaways and Sign OffNote: had some trouble with the audio leveling this week on a word or two, if I have time I'll re-record and replace those segments this weekend. ★ Support this podcast ★