Algorithmic Gatekeeping and Journalistic Ethics: A Cross-Regional Analysis of Public-Facing Media Texts

As digital platforms increasingly shape how news is distributed and encountered, algorithmic systems have become important gatekeepers of public information. This study examines how public-facing media texts frame algorithmic gatekeeping and its implications for journalistic ethics across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Guided by media framing theory, the study uses qualitative textual analysis to examine 23 media texts published between 2018 and 2026. The analysis identified four major themes: algorithmic amplification of misinformation, gatekeeping crisis and loss of accountability, threats to democracy and civil dialogue, and media pushback and adaptation strategies. Findings show that algorithms are commonly framed as powerful and often opaque intermediaries that influence news visibility, intensify engagement-driven information environments, and reduce traditional newsroom control over distribution. However, regional differences emerged. North American texts emphasized misinformation, polarization, and public discourse; African texts focused more strongly on information sovereignty, media sustainability, and unequal platform power; Asian texts emphasized search dependence, publisher revenue, copyright, and visibility; while European texts highlighted regulation, transparency, and publisher independence. Across regions, proposed responses included adapting content to platform environments, strengthening direct audience relationships, developing publisher-controlled technologies, increasing algorithmic accountability, and pursuing policy intervention. The study demonstrates that algorithmic gatekeeping is framed not simply as a technological change, but as a broader struggle over journalistic authority, visibility, economic sustainability, public trust, and democratic communication.