The role of the internet in social justice- an issue for our times

The internet is a powerful tool. The wide potential for democratisation and social justice are evident, yet many of these movements have failed to develop into real social change. Paradoxically, the same tools with the potential for social justice have fuelled the very opposite. To effectively utilise the power of the internet for social justice, we must navigate these problems and understand how detrimental outcomes materialise. This book will explore the conflicting realities of the nature of the internet and offer solutions for reclaiming it as a tool for social justice.

The Potential for the Internet in Driving Social Justice

Since its inception, this power has been recognised for its potential in driving social justice in a variety of ways. A space to bring together new or marginalised communities despite geographical boundaries; a public sphere for debate and deliberation; a means to spread information and hold power to account; and a platform for the organisation and mobilisation of incipient social movements; and various technologies enabling social change.

1. Community Creation: Connectivity of the internet, bringing together marginalised, disenfranchised or dispersed groups, building new hegemonies despite geographical boundaries.

2. Digital Democracy: The internet as a platform for the exchange of ideas, debate and deliberation. A virtual formation of Gramsci’s public sphere.

3. Information Dissemination: Access to and sharing of vast amounts of information. Citizen journalism as a means to hold power to account.

4. Social Movement Mobilisation: The use of social media and online communication in organising and mobilising vast numbers of people for incipient social movements.

5. Technologies for Change: Livestreaming, crowd sourcing and tracking information over time, the independent gig economy, open source technology, and green IT purposed for sustainability.

Social Injustice in the Architecture of the Internet

Despite its capacity for constructing positive social change, many of these functions have failed to materialise in the way there were originally conceived. As online communities have grown, society as a whole has fractured; in dealing with vast information, the architecture of the internet has dispersed groups into echo-chambers; with citizen journalism comes misinformation; online activism has replaced real action; and pervasive technology threatens free speech and reinforces online discrimination.

6. Polarisation and Extremism: Selective exposure and self-censorship resulting in isolation of opinion. Hijacking of social media platforms for conditioning into terrorist groups.

7. Cyberbalkanization: With vast information comes necessary filtration of content to match your algorithmic profile. Feeds only information you agree with creating an echo-chamber of ideas.

8. Misinformation and Fake news: Rapid dissemination of false information promoting specific agendas. Lack of systems in place to recognise and hold users to account.

9. Armchair Activism: Radical aims and intentions left online. Rises in digital activism replacing action offline. Exacerbates the problems of echo-chambers and cyberbalkanization.

10. Privacy, Gender and Race: Gender and racial profiling built into algorithmic advertisement models. Totalitarianism in the age of the internet, the intersection of privacy and activism.

Moving Forward and Reclaiming Digital Spaces

To reclaim these digital spaces, new solutions are required to strengthen social justice campaigns. Reconfiguring media algorithms to break echo-chambers; carrying momentum from digital social movements into real offline action; and maintaining public values at the core of new technologies are essential to moving forward.

11. Reconfiguring Echo-Chambers: Breaking out of echo-chambers, engaging with people of alternative views and modifying feed algorithms towards a true public sphere.

12. Active Political Participation: Finding new ways of translating action from digital to reality. Using technology in a way as to assist and not replace social movement activism.

13. Democratising Technology: Building technology in ways that serves our collective public values and not only private business. Transparency and inclusivity at the core of new green IT.

14. Others: New ideas from you on how technology can assist social justice campaigns.

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Call for papers and speakers for this wonderful event.

We will aim to also launch a book on this during our 3 day 16th Annual Green Economics Institute Conference July 23rd -July 25th 2021, on line and later at one of our regular conferences hopefully in Oxford after the pandemic. Please email if you would like to write for it as well.

This event is hosted by Nathan Bromley and Miriam Kennet- (above programme narrative written by Nathan Bromley).

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Programme

Host or Publisher Green Economics Institute