technofatty Questions, awkwardly answered.

Questions, awkwardly answered.

Tech · Algorithm audit

Algorithm Tax Calculator

Estimate how much money, time, and attention a platform's recommendations are quietly extracting.

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Algorithm audit

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Use this when a feed keeps converting spare attention into purchases, subscriptions, outrage, or a worse mood than the one you opened it with.

What this means

This instrument starts blank so it does not judge a made-up example before you have entered your own situation.

Formula used

Algorithm tax = unplanned feed hours + impulse spend + subscription creep + platform drag + attention residue

Worked example

A feed that turns ten spare minutes into an hour, a product link, a retained subscription, and a worse mood is charging more than its listed price.

Common questions

What counts as algorithm tax?
Unplanned purchases, retained subscriptions, extra platform time, and the mental drag left after recommendation feeds steer your attention.

Is this blaming the algorithm for every choice?
No. It is a framing tool for noticing when recommendation systems repeatedly nudge you into costs you would not choose cold.

What is a useful next move?
Reduce the highest-cost loop first: remove the shopping shortcut, cap the feed window, cancel the retained subscription, or stop opening the platform when tired.

Plain-English summary

Fill in the questions on the left to generate a verdict card.

This section translates the result into a short, direct takeaway rather than leaving the page at a bare number.

Disclaimer: This is a general attention-and-spending estimate, not financial, psychological, medical, addiction, or professional advice. If spending, gambling, distress, or compulsive use feels hard to control, use qualified support.

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