Chapter 18: Racial Capitalism in the Age of Big Data: A Global Perspective
In the digital age, racial capitalism manifests through data colonialism and digital inequalities, where tech giants extract data from users worldwide without explicit consent. This modern exploitation is reminiscent of historical colonial practices, particularly impacting regions like Africa. Here, data is often stored and processed outside the continent, worsening power imbalances between the Global North and Global South. Racial capitalism challenges traditional Marxist theories by emphasizing that racism is a core component of capitalist exploitation, intertwining racialization with labor and data.
New media platforms significantly shape political discourse, identity formation, and activism across various socio-political landscapes. These platforms empower marginalized communities by amplifying their voices in movements like Nigeria’s #EndSARS and Kenya’s #WeAre52, but they also serve as channels for misinformation and government control. This duality highlights the need for nuanced regulatory approaches that consider the complex dynamics of empowerment and control in digital spaces. The spread of false information during Kenya’s 2017 elections and North Korea’s use of smartphones for surveillance exemplify how digital tools can be manipulated, underscoring the importance of context-specific strategies.
Gender bias in artificial intelligence and machine learning systems poses significant ethical and societal challenges, as these technologies often perpetuate existing inequalities. AI systems can reflect the biases of their creators, impacting resource allocation, service quality, and individual well-being. Despite these issues, digital spaces offer platforms for activism and resistance, as seen in the evolution of women’s activism in Kenya. Additionally, Latinx digital engagement involves a complex interplay of identity formation, activism, and commodification. Social media platforms like Instagram act as digital archives for Latinx communities, challenging dominant narratives while complicating the landscape of digital memory through the commodification of identity. These multifaceted digital spaces present both opportunities and challenges within the framework of racial capitalism.
