Abstract

Social media has transformed visibility into an important resource through which young people construct identity gain recognition and negotiate social status. However visibility on contemporary platforms is increasingly mediated by recommendation systems that determine which users posts and identities receive sustained attention. This paper examines algorithmic visibility as a form of social capital among Indian youth and analyses how recommendation systems reshape status recognition and opportunities for digital participation. The study focuses on follower growth engagement discoverability popularity algorithmic awareness and perceived social recognition as interconnected dimensions of digital status. Drawing upon recent research on algorithmic curation youth culture and social media participation the paper argues that algorithmic visibility does not operate as a neutral reflection of popularity but actively contributes to the production of popularity itself. The findings suggest that