Notes on "Digital Colonialism: U.S. Empire and the New Imperialism in the Global South" by Michael Kwet

Abstract

  • The article discusses how the United States is redefining colonialism in the Global South through domination of digital technology.
  • A case study focuses on South Africa, illustrating how US multinationals assert imperial control over software, hardware, and network connectivity.
  • This results in economic domination through resource extraction and surveillance, central to a system termed "global surveillance capitalism."

Key Points

  • Digital Colonialism:
    • A new form of domination facilitated by control over digital ecosystems by multinational corporations.
    • Big Tech companies such as Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft (GAFAM) serve as modern imperialists.
  • Surveillance Capitalism:
    • A significant element of digital colonialism characterized by intrusion into privacy and concentration of economic power in the hands of US corporations.
    • Collaboration between Big Tech and US intelligence agencies for mass surveillance in the Global South.

Introduction to Operation Phakisa in Education

  • Background:
    • Launched in March 2015 by former South African President Jacob Zuma.
    • Initiative aimed to fast-track digital tech into 26,000 public schools via secretive planning by organizations like the World Bank and Deloitte.
  • Goals and Criticism:
    • Intended to provide students access to new technologies; however, the use of US tech products raises concerns of embedding surveillance mechanisms into education.

Impact and Ramifications in the Global South

  • Technological Integration:
    • Countries in the Global South rapidly adopting digital technologies, often from US corporations provides opportunities for broader digital access but raises questions about dependence and sovereignty.
  • Economic Domination Examples:
    • Uber's operations in South Africa disrupt local markets, exemplifying economic extraction and the detrimental effects on local industries.
    • Google and Facebook dominate local advertising; limiting earnings for local media outlets, seen as a threat to democracy.
    • Assessing the implications of digital technologies on local economies is crucial for sustainable development.

Digital Colonialism Defined

  • Core Elements:
    • Centralized ownership of software, hardware, and connectivity as a means to exert dominion over political, economic, and social power.
    • Historical parallels drawn from traditional colonialism reveal how tech monopolies promote dependency.

Mechanisms of Control in the Digital Ecosystem

Software
  • Proprietary vs Free Software:
    • Proprietary software restricts user modifications, consolidating power; whereas, free software allows for control and adaptability by users.
Hardware
  • Control Scenarios:
    • Dominance via execution on third-party servers leads to user dispossession of control over devices.
Network Connectivity
  • Net Neutrality:
    • Ensures equal data treatment, preventing discrimination against user data.

Intellectual Property and Empire

  • Copyright Issues:
    • Surveillance technologies and DRM software restrict access to creative works, impacting education and cultural exchange.

Big Tech Influence on Governance and Democracy

  • Facebook's Free Basics Program:
    • Illustrate how Big Tech can gatekeep access to information, undermining the concept of equal access to digital resources.

Global Surveillance Capitalism

  • Definition and Impact:
    • Surveillance system that utilizes Big Data to create profiles, often without explicit consent, leading to manipulation by corporations and states.
    • Discusses how the collection of personal data in the Global South feeds into a larger pattern of exploitation and control.

Historical Context of Surveillance

  • Colonial Roots of Surveillance:
    • Historical practices of racial surveillance during the era of slavery and apartheid in South Africa provide context for contemporary issues in digital surveillance and control.

Counter Strategies

  • Alternative Technologies:
    • Proposes a shift towards decentralized technologies, including free software, and hardware to promote local control and sovereignty.
  • People’s Technology Movement:
    • Encourages local communities, educators, and policymakers to advocate for technology that empowers rather than subjugates.

Conclusion

  • Emphasis on the importance of recognizing and addressing the dynamics of digital colonialism.
  • Call for grassroots movements that demand change in technology ownership and governance to foster local innovation and control.