The deceptive algorithm: Rosalía, racism and journalism | Opinion

The algorithm that dominates me timeline In recent weeks it has been quite effective. It is divided into three main topics, with intertwined subtopics. The first concerns the pilloried journalists. The recurring controversy these days is the interview with Ricard Ustrell in El matí from Catalunya Ràdio to Luis Rubiales, who a few hours later ended up a victim of his uncle’s bullshit. This theme leads to several subplots, which are summarized in the criticism of everything that Ustrell does, from his editorials on air to the jacket he wears, to end up spanking the Catalan Media Corporation, in the midst of the name change battle (3cat) that affects its historical brands (TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio). The Madrid variant (which also dominates mine forage) These are the battles of minister Óscar Puente, who throws himself shirtless against journalists and the media. In this case, the slippery slope ends up splashing RTVE and the alleged exploitation practiced by Pedro Sánchez. All very sticky, with an inevitable guild bias.

The second number that floods my social networks is a loop of global dimensions: Rosalía. Everywhere you look she comes out: the protagonist of the story of The Princess and the Pea with Jimmy Fallon, singing for him The Pearl a cappella to David Broncano or the protagonist of an incomprehensible TikTok where he moves his hands to the sound of the piano. The side story in this case navigates the waters of heartbreak and contempt, with mentions of all the singer’s previous acquaintances (Rauw Alejandro, C. Tangana or Jeremy Allen White). Who hasn’t had their heart broken at least once? I remain faithful to Francino and his interview in SER with the Catalan artist: “If they tell me half of the things that appear in this song (The Pearl), I leave crying, but crying. After listening to him it is inevitable to hope that all men feel like him.

The third issue is one that never goes out of fashion: racism. The new modern version of what it says on your ID that is so popular joy during the processes it now takes on new forms with the Ertzaintza’s decision to include the origin of detained people in its statistics and press releases. “If the Ertzaintza includes the origin of the detainees in the information it provides, it is because the Basque government believes that this information helps to explain the crime,” says social activist Ander Jiménez in a thread on And he even predicts that it will serve to create a Basque-style Catalan Alliance. Vox agrees with the tweeter’s concerns. “The latest Ertzaintza report confirms what we at Vox have been reporting ourselves for years. (…) Massive and uncontrolled immigration has completely destroyed Álava”, writes the far-right party in its Álava profile, with Basque police data attached.

An analysis – which doesn’t even deserve the name – of the data reveals that almost 90% of Ertzaintza prisoners are men. And, if you refined the data, you would see that the majority are of a good age for almost everything (even for crime): from 20 to 40 years old. It makes you want to emulate Vox, and shout out loud that men, especially young men, have completely destroyed Spain. Taking the (tiny) part for the whole is needed to succeed at X, to rock on TikTok. Also to punctuate the speech of the moment in Parliament or Congress. But it does not rigorously withstand even the slightest analysis, no matter how many people cling to a simple number to defend racist theses. Meanwhile, transparency is welcome in a mature society that needs truthful information to understand the reality of a polarized world.