Every day, billions of people use digital platforms from companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon and Apple.
We use them to search for information, communicate with friends, shop online, work, and entertain ourselves.
Most of us think of these technologies as simple tools that help make life easier.
But new research suggests they may be doing much more.
Media researcher Bjorn Beijnon from the University of Amsterdam argues that digital platforms are increasingly shaping how we see ourselves and understand the world around us.
According to Beijnon, Big Tech companies do not just collect information about us. Every online action—every search, click, swipe, purchase, and video view—creates data.
Companies analyze this information to predict what we might do next.
These predictions are not merely observations. They influence what we see online.
They determine which videos are recommended, which news stories appear in our feeds, which advertisements we receive, and even what products we are encouraged to buy.
Beijnon describes modern internet users as “data subjects.” This means people are constantly turning parts of their lives into data, often without realizing it. At the same time, they usually feel that they remain completely in control of their choices.
However, platforms are continuously creating algorithmic profiles of users based on their online behavior. Over time, these digital profiles can begin to seem accurate and even shape how people think about themselves.
For example, if an algorithm decides that someone is interested in fitness, politics, or a certain hobby, it may keep showing similar content.
Eventually, that person may pay more attention to those topics and become even more engaged with them. The recommendations can influence not only what people see but also what opportunities and ideas become visible to them.
One of Beijnon’s key findings is that this kind of influence often feels helpful rather than controlling. Modern technologies rarely tell people directly what to do. Instead, they guide behavior through convenient design choices.
A smartphone notification, a recommended video, or an online shopping suggestion may feel like a useful service. Yet these small prompts can gradually shape habits and decisions.
To understand how these systems affect everyday life, Beijnon spent a year studying two online communities. One was a Dutch conspiracy community, while the other consisted of users of the Fediverse, a decentralized network of independent social media platforms.
His research found that personalized online environments can strongly influence how people understand reality. When algorithms repeatedly show people information that matches their existing beliefs, it can reinforce those beliefs and contribute to different groups developing very different views of the world.
At the same time, the Fediverse demonstrated that alternatives are possible. Some online communities are experimenting with platforms that emphasize openness, shared decision-making, and public values instead of advertising profits and data collection.
Beijnon believes that the debate about technology should go beyond privacy concerns. As more of modern life happens on platforms owned by a small number of companies, important questions arise about power, personal freedom, and democracy.
The digital tools we use every day may not simply reflect who we are—they may also be quietly helping shape who we become.
