Algorithmic Logic and the Transformation of Islamic Communication Ethics On Social Media

Abstrak

The growing prominence of engagement-oriented social media environments has created new tensions between Islamic communication ethics and digitally mediated practices, yet the relationship between platform-mediated visibility and ethical communication remains insufficiently understood. This study examined how algorithmic logic was related to violations of Islamic communication ethics and the negotiation of moral authority on social media. Employing a multilayered qualitative case study, the research analyzed 30 highly engaged publicly accessible content items from Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok, complemented by semi-structured interviews with 10 active social media users. Data were examined through thematic analysis and triangulation of content, audience interactions, and user perceptions. The findings highlighted three recurrent ethical concerns: impolite speech, privacy violations, and misleading information, which were associated with observable patterns of audience interaction and platform-mediated visibility. Rather than demonstrating direct algorithmic causation, the findings showed that Islamic communication ethics was negotiated through the interaction of communicative practices, audience responses, and engagement-oriented platform conditions. By integrating Islamic communication ethics, mediatization theory, and algorithm studies, this study extends ethical analysis beyond individual responsibility toward the structural conditions of digital communication and contributes to broader debates on digital religion, platform governance, and responsible digital citizenship.

Kata kunci

• Islamic Communication Ethics
• Algorithmic Logic
• Digital Religion
• Social Media
• Moral Authority
• Religious Studies
• Social Sciences (miscellaneous)