You think you’ve combed through relevant definitions in every possible space? Digital, rhetoric, digital rhetoric? Think again. There’s rhetoric in code, too.
I’m at a weird position, regarding this topic. I’m certainly no computer science wizard. The two high school classes I took were enough. To that end, taking AP Computer Science did give me a base understanding of how code works. So, I suppose I couldn’t glean a clear message from pure code alone. However, I could certainly vouch for the notion that there is a message in there.
In 2019, Kevin Brock wrote at length about the rhetoric in code. Within the first section alone, he provides many applicable examples. A more obvious one includes comments. These are clear English that an onlooker or collaborator may read. They directly tell you what functions are for, and thus are rhetoric. Fair enough. Other examples include how Firefox takes a different approach to privacy and its open-source status. Chromium browsers certainly have more interest in what you’re doing, don’t ya know.
Procedural rhetoric goes further.
For once, we have a singular definition for a term in this field! Bogost (2007) defined procedural rhetoric as “the practice of using processes persuasively.” Gosh, it’s only a few words and the whole thing is exactly what it says on the tin. Bless thee! All jokes aside, it makes sense. The manner in which algorithms are implemented, or even structured, is never neutral. They’re always made with some sort of intent to affect the viewer. Think about how YouTube and Tiktok try to persuade a viewer to stay on their apps. Think about the social media and music sites that think they know what you like.
You listen to Steely Dan enough? YouTube’s going to nudge you in a certain direction. You viewed an item on Amazon maybe once? Buy buy buy! Algorithms basically exist in various online spaces to convince you to do something. It all comes together.
When you put it that way, procedural rhetoric is really in its own league. Even shiftier than your average digital rhetoric, if you can believe it.
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