Algorithmic Suppression and Cultural Moderation: A Cross-Cultural Framework for Authentic Creative Expression in Media Environments

This paper critiques how algorithms and media environments suppress originality while rewarding imitation. Drawing on Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory, Zajonc’s repetition principle, and Baudrillard’s concept of simulacra, I argue that digital platforms incentivize conformity through curated choice, dopamine-driven reinforcement, and the illusion of authenticity.

Written from both scholarly and lived experience as a journalist and creator, the paper frames this trend as an ethical dilemma: originality has become a liability, while “safe” art optimized for engagement dominates. The synthesis highlights the risk-versus-reward collapse of modern creativity — suggesting that in today’s algorithmic landscape, a work like Starry Night might never be painted.

This work calls for reimagining cultural and academic structures that reward risk, unpredictability, and raw originality.