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Giving by taking away: big tech, data colonialism and the reconfiguration of social good

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  • Viera Magalhães, João
  • Couldry, Nick

Abstract

Big Tech companies have recently led and financed projects that claim to use datafication for the “social good.” This article explores what kind of social good it is that this sort of datafication engenders. Drawing mostly on the analysis of corporate public communications and patent applications, it finds that these initiatives hinge on the reconfiguration of social good as datafied, probabilistic, and profitable. These features, the article argues, are better understood within the framework of data colonialism. Rethinking “doing good” as a facet of data colonialism illuminates the inherent harm to freedom these projects produce and why, to “give,” Big Tech must often take away.

Suggested Citation

  • Viera Magalhães, João & Couldry, Nick, 2021. "Giving by taking away: big tech, data colonialism and the reconfiguration of social good," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 107516, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:107516
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/107516/
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Laura Mann, 2018. "Left to Other Peoples’ Devices? A Political Economy Perspective on the Big Data Revolution in Development," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 49(1), pages 3-36, January.
    2. Jonathan Cinnamon, 2020. "Data inequalities and why they matter for development," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(2), pages 214-233, April.
    3. Weber, Steven, 2017. "Data, development, and growth," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(3), pages 397-423, September.
    4. Mann, Laura, 2018. "Left to other peoples’ devices? A political economy perspective on the big data revolution in development," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 85057, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Martin Hilbert, 2016. "Big Data for Development: A Review of Promises and Challenges," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 34(1), pages 135-174, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tobias Liebetrau & Linda Monsees, 2023. "Assembling Publics: Microsoft, Cybersecurity, and Public‐Private Relations," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 11(3), pages 157-167.
    2. Bernholz Lucy & Nothias Toussaint & Vavrovsky Amélie-Sophie, 2023. "Digital Public Policy: New Priorities for Nonprofits," Nonprofit Policy Forum, De Gruyter, vol. 14(2), pages 213-224, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    datafication; social good; Big Tech; data colonialism; political economy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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