The internet is often seen as a shared space, open to all. But behind the illusion of equality lies a web of power structures dominated by a few tech giants and countries. This phenomenon, known as digital colonialism, is reshaping who controls data, platforms, and the rules of the digital world.

What Is Digital Colonialism?

Digital colonialism refers to the control of digital infrastructure, data, and online services by powerful tech corporations and states, often to the detriment of developing countries. It draws parallels to historical colonialism, where resources were extracted from one region to benefit another. In the digital era, the resource is data, and the power lies in who processes and profits from it.

Who Controls the Infrastructure?

A small group of US-based companies—like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft, own and operate much of the world’s undersea internet cables, data centres, cloud services, and platform ecosystems. This concentration means that digital access, storage, and communication are largely dependent on private foreign entities.

Platform Dependency and Policy Influence

Social media and search platforms set global rules from corporate headquarters in Silicon Valley. Their algorithms moderate speech, shape public opinion, and determine who gets seen and who is silenced all without local input or transparency. When governments pressure these platforms, the policy changes often reflect the interests of powerful nations.

The Global South and Tech Sovereignty

Many countries in the Global South rely on tech donations, infrastructure, or platforms provided by international companies. While this expands internet access, it can also limit self-determination:

  • Platforms dominate local markets, stifling homegrown innovation.
  • Data is stored and monetised abroad, often without local benefit.
  • Legal protections may be weak or unenforceable if data is outside national borders.

Data as the New Resource

Data is often called "the new oil." User data (from browsing habits to biometrics) is harvested and monetised by tech giants. This data extraction model has been criticised for perpetuating inequalities, with users providing value without being compensated or protected.

  • Jurisdiction: Whose law governs data stored in foreign servers?
  • Privacy and consent: Can users truly consent if they don’t understand how their data is used?
  • Digital rights: Are international laws sufficient to protect freedom of expression, access to information, and online safety?

Why It Matters for Students

  • Universities use cloud-based platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, raising questions about where student data is stored and who can access it.
  • Edtech tools often collect behavioural data that could be used for profit.
  • Understanding digital colonialism helps students critically assess the tools they use, demand transparency, and advocate for ethical data practices.

The internet may be global, but control over it is far from evenly distributed. Digital colonialism highlights how power in the digital age mirrors old patterns of dominance. As future professionals and digital citizens, students have a crucial role to play in questioning who owns the internet and pushing for a more equitable, transparent, and sovereign digital future.

Sources to Cite:

  1. Michael Kwet, "Digital Colonialism: US Empire and the New Imperialism in the Global South" (The New York Times / ROAR Magazine): https://roarmag.org/essays/digital-colonialism-us-empire/
  2. Access Now, "Data and the Global South": https://www.accessnow.org
  3. World Economic Forum, "Who Owns the Internet?": https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/07/internet-access-digital-infrastructure/
  4. Internet Society, "Concentration of Power in the Internet Economy": https://www.internetsociety.org
  5. UNESCO, "Internet Universality Indicators": https://en.unesco.org/themes/internet-universality