Algorithmic Counter-Narratives on Naples’ Touristification

This article examines the algorithmic construction and dissemination of counter-narratives regarding touristification in the city of Naples, Italy. In recent years, Naples has experienced a dramatic increase in tourist flows, driven by low-cost mobility, short-term rentals, and the algorithmic amplification of urban imaginaries on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Drawing on a content analysis of posts published on these platforms, the study investigates how their logics shape the visibility and legitimacy of urban discourses. The article examines the dynamics of algorithmic touristification, the symbolic appropriation of tourist aesthetics by critical actors, and the emergence of digitally mediated forms of resistance. The findings highlight the epistemic asymmetries embedded in platform infrastructures, showing how celebratory narratives of tourism tend to dominate digital space, while dissenting voices are systematically marginalized. However, the analysis also reveals the presence of sophisticated counter-strategies that allow activists to reclaim algorithmic visibility and contest hegemonic representations.