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In classic Marxist, state was considered Machine of repression which ensure ruling class to hold their domination over working class. But Althusser notes that no ruling class can maintain power with repression for a long time, it must also ensure reproduction of relations of production for a capitalist System to survive. Thus, within this framework Althusser introduces distinction between Repressive state apparatus (RSA) and Ideological State apparatus (ISA). Ideological state apparatus includes institutions like schools, churches, Media, which ensures Systemic Stability. It is the ISA which secures reproduction in relations of production. Althusser observed Major shift in Composition of ideological power as in early medieval age the church was primary ideological state apparatus, but it was after French revolution bourgeois class overthrow the church and replaced it with school**.**

Now again we are witnessing a shift in ideological power with digital realm in focus. In Contemporary World, the citizens are no longer dominated by religion, television or school, instead, the dominant ideological apparatus in today's world is social media the algorithmic feed and digital networks. Social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat perform functions of traditional media ideological state apparatus in today's times.

In the past, individuals go to school which trained people according to their skills, do their cultural conditioning but now the same thing is done by digital platforms as they participate in the reproduction of social practices in contemporary times. In traditional era, the institution largely addresses the subject whereas now in the digital Era, this becomes personalized through continuous observations, interactions which later create feedback loop for consumers. This gives us a new type of interpretation, i.e. digital interpretation where social networking apps collect users’ data classified it and serve the user based on their interests, and recommendations. When the individual watches any reel, posts or consumes it, he engages with it as the user recognizes it with its own identity cause Digital platforms are full of recognition mechanisms and the users present themselves through these identities. So, the digital subject is both recognized by individuals and by algorithms. Thus, the Algorithm becomes important mechanism through which specific ideology is distributed. Algorithmic recommendation adds relevance to interpellation by continuously categorizing, addressing and personalizing content for users. Platform servers are important means of digital production, but the platform company generally controls the whole digital infrastructure so from a political economy perspective, the user’s day-to-day digital activities could generate economically valuable data and this further leads to accumulation of capital, central concept in Marxian theory. Thus, digital ideology operates at the intersection of political economy and ideological reproduction: the economic organization of algorithmic platforms shapes the conditions under which ideology circulate, while ideological processes help to reproduce the social relations within which digital capitalism operates.

In conclusion, social media has now become the new ideological state apparatus. Through algorithms, likes, sharing, and notification they influence the user perception and their ideology. The Idea of interpellation is being used by digital platforms forms where individuals are classified, categorized as particular kind of users and then the content is distributed to them. Thus, ideology operates not only through traditional institutions, but it is continuously produced through the interaction between individuals, platforms, algorithms and existing social structures.

References

  Louis Althusser 1971 Lenin 1971: Lenin and Philosophy and Other Essays