Algospeak

The practice of using code words, creative spellings, or substitutions in online content to avoid algorithmic detection, censorship, or demonetization by social media platforms. Examples include spelling "lesbian" as "le$bian" or "le dollar bean" on TikTok. While algospeak allows creators to discuss sensitive topics without platform penalties, it creates significant accessibility barriers — particularly for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users who rely on captions, as substituted words may be incomprehensible without audio context. Algospeak highlights how platform content moderation algorithms can have unintended consequences for accessibility.