Cracking the Code: How Algospeak Took Over Social Media

Not too long ago, social media was supposed to be the place where people could say anything. Now? Even the most basic words: sex, suicide, depression, and risk get flagged, shadowbanned, or deleted.

Creators and communities have found a workaround: change the words.“Sex” becomes “seggs.”“Porn” becomes “corn.”“Suicide” becomes “unalive.”

And just like that, a new language was born: algospeak.

Talking in Code - Algospeak in Social Media

At first glance, algospeak appears to be internet creativity at its best. Emojis, inside jokes, and playful code words keep content alive.

But step back for a second, and it looks less fun: algorithms are deciding which words we’re allowed to use. And if you care about honesty, identity, or mental health, that’s a big problem.

Because when people are forced to use childish slang for serious conversations, those conversations lose their weight. The language starts to feel less real. And people do too.

Self-Censorship on Repeat

For creators, this isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a mindset shift.

Before hitting “post,” you start running through the checklist in your head:

• Will this word get me shadowbanned?

• Should I swap it for an emoji?

• Is this safe enough for the algorithm?

  
  

That inner censor grows louder until it drowns out authenticity. Instead of sharing openly, you play it safe. And when millions of people start doing the same thing, platforms fill up with bland, surface-level content.

The kind of content nobody remembers.

The Mental Health Tradeoff

For young people, this isn’t only about creativity, it’s about survival.

Social platforms are one of the first places people go when they’re struggling with anxiety, sexuality, or depression. But the very words they need to express those struggles are often the ones algorithms punish.

With Algospeak in social media, replacing suicide with unalive doesn’t make the issue safer. It just makes it harder to talk about. And when discussions get pushed underground, people lose access to community, support, and real conversation.

Funny, Until It Isn’t

Sure, some algospeak is hilarious. “Richard pics” instead of “d*ck pics.” “Carrot in the donut” instead of “anal sex.”

But the humor wears thin when you realize we’re building an entire culture of euphemisms to dodge robots. The internet was meant to help us connect—not turn us into codebreakers in our own conversations.

So, What Kind of Internet Do We Want?

This is the crossroads: Do we keep bending our voices to fit what algorithms allow? Or do we start demanding platforms that value human honesty over sanitized engagement?

At Socialode, we believe in that second path. A place where your words don’t have to be filtered through code, where conversations can be raw, real, and human. Because when we lose the freedom to speak clearly, we lose more than just words; we lose connection.

And connection is what the internet was meant for.