Authoritarian Algorithmic Publics: Conceptualising the Nexus of Authoritarianism and Digital Innovation Uptake in Russian News Media

Scholarship on digital innovation uptake in journalism has expanded to include hybrid and authoritarian regimes. However, the intersection of digital innovation and algorithmisation with restricted media freedom remains undertheorised. This article introduces the concept of authoritarian algorithmic publics (AAP), building upon “authoritarian publics-at-large” (Toepfl) and “algorithmic publics” (Christen), and applies it to Russia. Based on in-depth interviews with media professionals in Russian media (N = 51) we elucidate how media professionals’ perceptions of advanced digital technologies, rooted in a journalistic culture shaped by the conditions of authoritarianism, affect the development of digital journalism in autocracies. Contrary to politically-determined perspectives on media development in autocracies, our findings suggest that political loyalty is a poor explanatory factor of digital innovation uptake. By examining three media outlets – RT, RBC, and Meduza – we illustrate digital innovation across the political spectrum, revealing a complexity of digital authoritarianism better captured by AAP. Both pro-state media, forming a non-critical public, and oppositional media, creating a leadership-critical public, may use similar technologies and practices for optimization. However, their different perceptions and tailored use of these tools lead to the production of distinct algorithmic publics.