AGENDA-SETTING THEORY: EVOLUTIONARY ASPECTS AND THE ALGORITHMIC SHAPING OF ATTENTION IN THE AI ERA

Mariana TACU, Moldova State University

Аннотация

The evolution of agenda-setting theory, from its classical foundations to contemporary reinterpretations, high lights how the logic of public visibility has been reshaped by digitalization and artificial intelligence. While in the traditional paradigm media institutions and journalists acted as the main gatekeepers of news selection and prioritization, today this function is increasingly performed by digital platforms and algorithms. In algorithmically driven information flows, visibility is no longer the sole outcome of editorial decisions but the product of automated processes of personalization, micro-targeting, and “algorithmic gatekeeping”. These mechanisms generate ambivalent effects. They enhance relevance for users while simultaneously fragmenting public discourse, fueling polarization, and reducing pluralism. Ethical considerations become crucial, since algorithms are not neutral and may reproduce
biases, subtly shaping collective perceptions and democratic processes. The article concludes with the concept of Agenda-Setting 4.0, defined by hyperconnectivity, personalization, and algorithmic control, where the key challenge is balancing technological innovation, democratic pluralism, and communication ethics.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59295/sum11(6)2025_10