This piece by Wilneida Negrón from the Ford
Foundation merits a close read. Some of us often think of the
democratizing potential of social media and the Internet, however, as you can
see below, free and open expression are grievously at risk here and beyond.
The access to our lives that our own government has
should be a matter of grave concern not just to ourselves, but also in terms of
social justice causes locally and worldwide.
It is disturbing to consider how our own
government spies on its own citizens, let alone folks in other countries.
On this note, I just saw the movie, Snowden, and strongly recommend it. It focused, in
particular, on the NSA’s PRISM program that
Snowden exposed and that Negrón mentions below.
The access that our government already has to our
private lives is unsettling. But let's not be afraid. Let's
organize and let's act. To that end, Negrón provides very useful
suggestions in this piece below.
Thank you, President Darren Walker, Wilneida
Negrón, and the Ford Foundation, for all you do to expand civil
and human rights. Best of wishes in the
new year and Happy MLK Day!
Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D.
College of Education, Education Policy and Planning
University of Texas at Austin
In our increasingly complex and interconnected world, innovations in
technology and data are inching us closer to a reality driven by
automation, prediction, personalization, surveillance, and the merging
of our physical and digital lives. This is taking place at the same time
that the world is experiencing transformative cultural, demographic,
economic, and political shifts. In the face of so much uncertainty and
change, the independent watchdog group Freedom House reports that globally, Internet freedom has declined for
the sixth consecutive year, “with more governments than ever before
targeting social media and communication apps as a means of halting the
rapid dissemination of information, particularly during anti-government
protests.” At the same time, Civicus has highlighted the many threats facing democracies, representative institutions, and civil society as a whole.As we begin a new year and a new political administration takes office in the US, let’s take some time to consider some pressing issues that exist at the nexus of technology and social justice—and think about how we as social justice advocates can address them most effectively. Even amid so many unknowns, we can be certain that these issues are among those that will shape 2017 and the years and decades beyond it. And they will be central to the work of building a free, open, and transparent future.
1. Online hate crimes, harassment, and discrimination are increasing
In 2016, we saw an increase in the number of reported online hate crimes and harassment targeting Muslims, immigrants, and LGBTQ people, as well as groups working to protect reproductive rights and strengthen racial justice. At the same time, Internet and other communication technologies are being used to promote the online radicalization and organization of hate groups.2. Fake news, campaigns of misinformation, bias, and propaganda proliferate
During the 2016 election, the use of intelligent Twitter bots, targeted advertising, and search engine manipulation affected what Internet users saw on specific platforms and search engines. “Filter bubbles” and algorithms have been blamed for failing to separate real news from fiction, and researchers have noted an escalation in bias, propaganda, and misinformation online. Together, these factors contribute to increased polarization, and hamper the free flow of accurate information that is essential for civil discourse, policymaking, and ultimately democracy.3. Trolling threatens democracy and free expression
During the 2016 US presidential election, online trolls were credited with influencing political discourse. This kind of trolling is also a global epidemic. Freedom House reports that across the world, state-sponsored trolling operations (aka “troll farms”) attack government critics and independent media often by posting thousands of comments at a time, polluting online dialogue through hate speech and disinformation. Hampering free speech, trolling is often aimed at journalists and activists, along with political protest and other forms of expression.4. Reduced regulation creates risks for consumers
2017 may see the deregulation of the largest cable and phone companies, and the weakening of hard-won consumer protection laws. These reduced federal regulations could undermine a free, open, and secure Internet
and undercut a variety of hard-won initiatives, protections, and
services that benefit low income individuals and households. These
include net neutrality wins, federal guidance and regulation of the Internet of Things, Lifeline and broadband subsidies for low-income households, and efforts to regulate prison phone costs.
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