From Propaganda to Platform: The Algorithmic Resurrection of Edward Bernays in the Age of Mass Customization

This article revisits Edward Bernays’ legacy in public relations through the lens of algorithmic media. While Bernays advocated elite-driven persuasion to “engineer consent,” contemporary algorithms replicate his emotional, segmented, and covert strategies at scale. Unlike Bernays’ centralized model, today’s influence is decentralized yet persistent—shaped by data and behavioral feedback loops. This paper argues that modern digital platforms represent a mutation of Bernaysian logic: participatory, automated, and no less manipulative. Revisiting Bernays reveals the enduring structure—and growing opacity—of influence in the algorithmic age.