From algorithms to enigma

Review Essay of Algorithmic Intimacy: the Digital Revolution in Personal Relationships, Anthony Elliott (2022) Polity Press, Cambridge, 220pp., €60 euros (hardback) ISBN: 9781509549825
Anthony Elliott is executive director of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at the University of South Australia, where he is also research professor of sociology. His interest in digital culture and the material impact of the information revolution on human civilization dates back to the early 2000s. His background in the social and political sciences is evident when reading this essay, subtitled The Digital Revolution in Personal Relationship. From this idea of algorithmic intimacy, Elliott creates a topography of intimacy in the digital age. Elliott dedicates a chapter of his book to each of those domains. It would be almost impossible to discuss them in detail as they are so dense with information and analysis. Rather, I prefer to focus on three issues that I consider particularly important among those Elliott chooses to address. They are not the central themes of Elliott’s essay (in fact, they may seem marginal at times), but I do not think I am wrong in saying that they are an important part of the thinking behind this book. My suggestion to the reader is to approach Algorithmic Intimacy by also reading it through the lens of these three themes: (1) intimacy and magic; (2) intimacy and representation; (3) intimacy and shame.