Entrepreneurial Selves, Emotions, and Algorithmic Creativity Among Young Content Creators in the Philippines

This paper examines young content creators engaging in what I will call algorithmic creativity, drawing on the theory of the entrepreneurial self. Drawing on research on creativity, emotions, and influencer and creator studies, I explore how young content creators in the Philippines use creativity within the creator economy and the challenges they face in pursuing creative work. This paper is part of a larger study on influencer cultures in the Philippines, and empirical data are drawn from digital ethnography and semi-structured interviews with thirty content creators. Findings include the use of storytelling and digital tools for content creation, and challenges such as time management and exposure to external forces, including brands and platforms. The findings imply that young content creators engage in emotional labor in pursuing creativity in digital spaces. The unintended consequence is the emergence of algorithmic creativity as creativity becomes increasingly linked to algorithmic recognition. The findings ultimately reveal how young content creators are both enabled and limited as they navigate the uneven power relations between platforms, creators, and audiences.