Position Paper Veer Singh

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Western University *

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1021F

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Electrical Engineering

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Jan 9, 2024

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Uploaded by CoachIron12774

The Grave Impact of Digital Colonialism on Cultural Autonomy Veer S Singh Huron University College- Western University CGS 1021F Dr. Katherine Lawless December 11 th , 2023

In this era of technological advancements, digital colonialism has emerged as a cornerstone of today's society. Digital colonialism is "the use of digital technology for political, economic and social domination of another nation or territory." (Kwet, 2022). Due to the rapid growth and strength of digital colonialism, it is vital to recognize how it impacts global culture. Global culture is often defined as a blend of globalization and hybridization. It involves diverse cultural, economic, and social elements from all over the globe. (Pieterse, 2018) While the growing technological age has made many improvements in today's society, it has also greatly hindered our beautiful global diversity. Digital colonialism perpetuates the breakdown of global culture through cultural homogenization, artificial learning, unemployment and the monopolization of markets. Many authors and researchers have taken different approaches to digital colonialism. Some authors advocate for promoting these technological advancements, but most take the stance against it. Most authors emphasize the negatives digital colonialism brings to the world. Common opinions include the connection between historical colonialism and how big tech companies adopt that method to reach and take over the world. While there are varied perspectives on digital colonialism, a prevailing consensus emerges against it, with most authors highlighting the detrimental effects on global culture. The comparison created between historical colonialism and the strategies employed by major tech corporations proves the need for critical examination and resistance against these companies taking over. The impact of digital colonialism is reflected in the increase in cultural homogenization, lack of learning and unemployment, and the monopolization of markets. Firstly, cultural homogenization is evident through the technological advancements of today's age. While this

has helped businesses and society grow, it also hinders traditional cultures and prevents furthering diversity. The theory of McDonaldization, coined by sociologist George Ritzer, describes the process through which society adopts the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant, emphasizing efficiency, predictability, and uniformity (Ritzer & Miles, 2018). This is also prevalent in the digital era and materializes through big tech companies. In these companies' contest for maximizing efficiency and customization, they often reach absurd extents to achieve these goals. While this benefits the companies, it exposes people to a limited set of information that aligns with their already existing beliefs. This creates and further enforces the homogenization of culture and terminates the acknowledgment of differing perspectives. The second feature of digital colonialism's impact stems from unemployment and a lack of genuine learning. Using new advanced technologies in the workplace often leads to job displacement as automated systems replace traditional roles. Moreover, in educational settings, students rely heavily on AI for written pieces, solving problems, etc. This reliance on artificial intelligence for learning can restrict critical thinking and holistic understanding (Thao et al., 2023). Consequently, society experiences a decline in meaningful employment opportunities and a diminished individual capacity to engage in authentic learning experiences. The third aspect comes from the monopolization of markets by big tech companies, contributing to the erosion of global culture. Market dominance not only eliminates human interaction in sales but also poses a threat to fair competition. Big tech companies can easily overpower smaller competitors, limiting innovation and reducing the diversity of available content on social media. This monopolization goes against the principles of fair markets and impedes cultural diversity. For instance, Meta has successfully monopolized the global social

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