Every morning like clockwork, before I even open my eyes, my hand rushes to find my phone, almost reflexively so I can scroll through TikTok. My feed is full of trends, challenges, and the odd glimpse of westernized news, but aside from that, there is little to no mainstream coverage of other global topics. Coming to this realization helps me acknowledge the privilege I have as an able-bodied, cis-gendered, economically stable individual, with the ability to have effortless and immediate access to the digital world and still live in blissful ignorance in this seemingly westernized ‘news bubble.’ Beatrice Martini’s article, “Decolonizing technology: A reading list” helps us understand that the seemingly widely accessible digital world is driven by power dynamics centering on the needs of specific demographics over others. Through Martini’s findings, and various resources provided to help readers further understand their concepts, one may also start to understand the channeling of colonialist exercises of control which dictate who gets to use a tool or service and to which extent.
Digital resources permeate information such as commerce, social interactions, politics, culture, and daily life that most westerners consider vital, but how about those who do not consume this media? Martini’s article mentions that “More than 60 percent of the world’s population remains offline.” This number seems unfathomable to us since western society’s reliance on digital media has led most of us to believe that we live in a world with an equal distribution of technology, but this is far from the truth.
A study done in 2015 reported that a median of 67% says that they either use the internet occasionally or own a smartphone, with the highest rates of access in South Korea (94%), Australia (93%), and Canada (90%). The lowest rates are 72% in Russia and Turkey, 68% in Malaysia, 65% in China, and 60% in Brazil which are considered emerging economies (Figure 1). This study demonstrates the global socioeconomic divide as it is increasingly apparent that digital resources such as access to the internet are noticeably higher in advanced economies which are often predominantly white countries with a history of colonialism.
A graph conducted by Jacob Poushter highlighting internet usage of various developed and developing nations.
Martini also states that speaking English is a significant factor in determining whether someone makes use of the web. This idea helps highlight the colonial dimensions of technology and the favouritism conducted by western news sources. A recent Instagram post from @marxistleninistmemeparty expresses the idea of western media neglect and ignorance surrounding various foreign news (Figure 2).
A post by @marxistleninistmemeparty highlights the perception of western media when tragedy strikes in various countries and continents.
In addition to the barriers posed by infrastructure, the economy, and language, it is not just low-income or minority countries that don't have accessible technology and accurate media portrayal, users with mental disabilities, or members of the Neurodivergent community also face oppression in the digital world. A report conducted by
proposes various methods of accessibility and equity within digital mental health. The various authors of this report call on companies associated with technology and digital media to incorporate an understanding of affective, behavioural, and cognitive aspects to help to bridge the gap between those who are able to access and receive services and those who cannot. Some examples of how they believe the digital world can become a more accessible and inclusive place for various audiences is through better implementation of tools such as eye-tracking, voice dictation, as well as collaboration with individuals with lived experiences related to accessibility needs in the design and iteration of mental health apps.
It is evident that the digital and technological world is one controlled by power dynamics which center the needs of specific demographics. The shift of the paradigm created through the powers upheld in the digital world may be challenging; however, not impossible. Martini states that the more people grow their awareness of how power is held and exercised, the more they will be able to collectively advocate and act against the colonial systems and repressive technology which rule technology globally.