Is Your Algorithm Affecting Your Spirituality?

By Yaquelin Sasari Julca

Are you being careful about the things you read and watch online?

Not too long ago, I was thinking about how I could be a better disciple. I wanted to make changes to help me feel more in tune with the Spirit.

Of course, the direction I was looking for came from an Apostle, when Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited Lima, Peru, and gave a devotional to the young adults here.

He told us how he had recently spoken with the prophet (President Russell M. Nelson [1924–2025] at the time), who wanted him to tell the young adults how grateful he was that we were choosing to live righteously.

Elder Rasband started listing specific things we were doing as disciples of Jesus Christ. As I listened, I felt like I was doing well in my discipleship! But then he said, “And thank you for being careful with the movies and television series you watch.”

I immediately felt unsettled. That night, I sincerely reflected and asked myself, “Am I really careful about the things I watch—about any of the media I consume?”

If I’m being honest, my answer was no.

Consider Everything You Watch

We belong to a generation with unlimited access to media, and any type (or amount) of content is available without restrictions.

Personally, I try to avoid watching shows or movies that contain explicit content, but I realized that Elder Rasband’s comment wasn’t limited only to television; it applied to everything I read, watched, and listened to.

I thought about social media and all the short videos, memes, and images I like and share on those platforms—a lot of which have the same bad language, inappropriate messages, or crude humor that I would normally try to avoid anywhere else.

Sister Becky Craven, former Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, once shared what it means to be in “the gray,” where our actions can be a mix of good and not so good. She asked: “Are we careful or casual in what we read and what we watch on TV and our mobile devices? Are we careful in our language? Or do we casually embrace the crude and vulgar?”

I was definitely being casual.

Change the Algorithm

So I decided to do a “cleanse” on social media and reset my algorithm. I unfollowed certain accounts, and I changed my filters and settings. This helped me be more mindful about my choices.

I also realized how even small, seemingly harmless exposures to inappropriate media can affect my connection to Jesus Christ over time.

Every time you use technology, be aware of your intent. You can decide what you see, what you hear, who you follow, and what you share.

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently talked about developing temperance, which involves choosing to act with spiritual wisdom. He said, “Cultivating temperance is a meaningful way to protect our souls against the subtle yet constant spiritual erosion caused by worldly influences that can weaken our foundation in Jesus Christ.”

I believe a lot of spiritual erosion comes from the media we engage with.

The Lord doesn’t expect us to be perfect right now, but when we strive to be intentional about our media use, we can reset not just our social media algorithms but our spiritual algorithms too. By choosing media that elevates, instructs, and entertains in a wholesome way, we can invite and notice the Spirit’s presence more consistently in our lives.

The author lives in Callao, Peru.