Abstract: This essay aimed to analyze how digital social networks acted as instruments for measuring identity and behavior in networked society, converting social interactions, everyday practices, and subjective expressions into evaluative parameters that can be used for multiple purposes, without explicitly stating a single, transparent objective to users. The general objective was to understand the role of digital platforms in reconfiguring the processes of identity formation and social control. The specific objectives were: (i) to examine the role of algorithms as mediators of visibility, recognition, and social belonging; (ii) to identify the multifunctionality of data capture in economic, symbolic, and political dynamics; and (iii) to analyze the historical continuity of practices of measurement and normalization of the subject. The methodology adopted was qualitative, exploration, and descriptive in nature, based on a literature review and theoretical-conceptual analysis. The results indicated that digital social networks not only reflected preexisting identities but also actively contributed to the fragmentation of the Self, the constitution of functional personas (aliases), and the continuous measurement of subjectivity. It was observed that algorithms operated as architectures of informational power, structuring behaviors and patterns of visibility, intensifying historically existing social and symbolic mechanisms. It was concluded that contemporary subjectivity has come to be constituted at the intersection between individual agency and algorithmic determination, legitimized by perceived symbolic benefits. As a question for further measurement, it is proposed to investigate the extent to which individuals recognize and critically evaluate the algorithmic influence in the constitution of their identities and everyday decisions. Keywords: Network society; Identity; Social measurement; Digital marketing; Informational power.
Authors: BRANDÃO, Iraê César
DOI: 10.29327/7759785
Publish Year: 2026
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