The Algorithm Prison: How Creators Can Escape the Platforms That Control Discovery

You’ve built the audience. You’ve created the work. But the people who want it the most never see it, not without paying to “boost” or “promote.”

This is the algorithm prison: a system where platforms control visibility, ration discovery, and profit from the very creators they claim to support. In its walls, even your most dedicated followers may never know your work exists.

In The Algorithm Prison, Tony Thomas exposes how we got here, from the open web and RSS to the rise of walled gardens, ranking systems, and “brand safety” filters. Drawing from decades of experience as a creator, producer, and writer, Thomas shows how algorithms shape what we make, who sees it, and what it takes to break free.

Inside, you’ll learn:

Why visibility is no longer guaranteed, even to your own followers.

How platform policies and algorithms quietly influence creative decisions.

Practical strategies to own your audience and escape dependency.

The role open-source tools, AI, and free promotional platforms can play in your success.

Whether you’re a writer, musician, artist, or independent creator, this book is both a warning and a blueprint. The walls of the algorithm prison are real, but you don’t have to keep building your career inside them.