Ever caught yourself “reading” a TikTok? Or telling someone to “check out that text” when referring to a viral meme? There’s a reason why the language we use to describe digital content feels increasingly awkward. Our definition of what counts as “text” is dramatically expanding, and most of us haven’t updated our vocabulary to keep up.
Douglas Eyman points out that what we consider “text” has evolved far beyond printed words on a page. Think about it—when was the last time you interacted with a traditional “text” without some digital component? Even physical books now come with QR codes, companion apps, and online discussion forums.
As Eyman notes, cultural studies approaches have expanded our understanding of text to include virtually everything: “any object, collection of objects, or contexts can be ‘read.’” This isn’t just academic jargon, it fundamentally changes how we understand the digital content we consume every day.
Your Spotify Wrapped and the Netflix Algorithm Are Persuading You
When your Spotify Wrapped tells you that you’re in the top 0.5% of Taylor Swift fans, that’s not just data. These campaigns are rhetorically designed text trying to persuade you of something (specifically, that you should share this with your friends and continue influencing people to use Spotify). According to Spotify’s announcement of 2025 Wrapped, these personalized data stories represent a new form of text that blends information, entertainment, and persuasion.
The Netflix recommendation algorithm functions in a similar way. These are texts that have “a kind of agency… granted via programming by human actors, but making independent decisions nonetheless.” When Netflix decides what show to recommend next, it’s creating a persuasive text specifically for you based on your viewing habits, time of day, and countless other factors.
Why This Actually Matters (And Isn’t Just Academic Overthinking)
Understanding the expanded definition of “text” isn’t just interesting—it’s crucial for digital literacy. When we recognize that Instagram Stories, TikTok videos, and even website designs are texts with rhetorical features designed to persuade us, we become more conscious consumers of digital media.
The next time you find yourself mindlessly scrolling through social media, try consciously “reading” these posts as texts. What are they trying to persuade you to do? How are they using design elements, intertextuality (references to other content), or intentionality? What counts as text?
Keep in mind, this expanded view of text doesn’t devalue traditional reading. Rather, it enhances our understanding of how communication works in the digital age. As Eyman argues, all texts are “the result of social action” designed to move us toward some kind of action. Knowing this makes us better creators and consumers of all the texts that surround us daily.
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