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- Convenors:
-
Henry Chavez
(Université Paris Cité, Ceped, IRD - CTS Lab FLACSO Ecuador)
María Belén Albornoz (Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO-Ecuador))
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- Format:
- Traditional Open Panel
Short Abstract:
Big data and artificial intelligence technologies are reshaping the global landscape and widening the digital divide between the North and the South. This panel will explore the global asymmetries created, triggered, increased or derived from the deployment these technologies in different contexts.
Long Abstract:
The deployment of big data and artificial intelligence technologies have been reshaping the global landscape over the last two decades. New economic actors, new institutional configurations, new dependencies and new asymmetries are emerging. U.S. and Chinese companies and institutions control most of the infrastructure, knowledge and skills needed to develop and apply these technologies. Pulled by a silent war between these two powers, the Global South, is being forced to follow a path that recreates dependency, colonialism and extractivism in a new light. Public and private actors in these countries have no choice but to accept the turnkey solutions offered by these large technology companies. This process is widening the digital divide between the North and the South. In this context, we invite papers that explore and discuss the global asymmetries created, triggered, increased or derived from the deployment and use of these technologies in different contexts, especially in the Global South. We are interested in discussing how differently these technologies are applied in the North and in the South? What infrastructures do they use and mobilize and how are they distributed? How does knowledge and know-how circulate and mobilize between the North and the South and between academia, the public sector and private companies? How is value produced, extracted and exploited in different contexts? How different are the social or environmental side effects of these technologies in the North and the South?
Accepted papers:
Session 1Renata Mielli (University of São Paulo) Ergon Cugler de Moraes Silva (Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV))
Short abstract:
This study employs a methodology encompassing literature review, legislative analysis, and policy examination across Latin America, Africa, and Eurasia. Inspired by Couture & Toupin (2018) and Morozov (2018), we aim to reveal nuanced global disparities in big data and AI, through a sovereignty lens.
Long abstract:
Amidst the evolving landscape of big data and artificial intelligence (AI), global disparities between the North and the South are becoming increasingly pronounced. This study proposes a comprehensive international comparative analysis, employing a multi-faceted methodology that includes an in-depth review of existing literature, a thorough examination of legislative frameworks, and a comprehensive analysis of public policies in selected countries across Latin America, Africa (Global South), and Eurasia (Global North). Drawing inspiration from Couture & Toupin (2018) and Evgeny Morozov (2018) regarding digital sovereignty, our research seeks to unveil the nuances in the application of AI technologies and the associated infrastructures in distinct geographical contexts. The literature review will provide insights into existing scholarly perspectives, while the examination of legislation and public policies will help construct a robust framework for comparative analysis.
Additionally, we aim to scrutinize the mechanisms through which value is generated, extracted, and exploited in diverse contexts, employing qualitative and quantitative methods to understand the economic dimensions of AI deployment. Our investigation aims to transcend technological assessments, encompassing a comparative analysis of legislative frameworks and policies to understand their implications on the digital landscape. Through a lens of sovereignty, we will evaluate how turnkey solutions offered by major technology corporations contribute to a widening digital divide and recreate dependencies reminiscent of colonialism and extractivism. By combining literature reviews, legislative analyses, and policy examinations, this study aspires to generate a comprehensive understanding of the global asymmetries in the era of big data and artificial intelligence in different geographical contexts.
Guilherme Cavalcante Silva (York University)
Short abstract:
This paper discusses the issue of multipolarity and South-South relations through the lenses of science and technology developments in Latin America. In striving for a multipolar world, this paper hopes to offer STS scholars a cautionary tale to approach the “multipolar fever” critically.
Long abstract:
The rise to prominence of multipolarity as an imperative in international relations and trade has been widely discussed over the past decades, particularly with the strengthening of BRICS and Pan-African movements (Stuenkel, 2020; Osogwa, 2014; Hampson & Heinbecker, 2014). The call for a world with multiple powers giving rise to different social and economic imperatives has been warmly received among STS scholars, with hopes that this new order can challenge deeply rooted colonial epistemological and infrastructural systems (Oliveira & Bonfim, 2023; Kervran et al., 2019; Khandekar et al., 2016). Beyond criticisms of the very idea of whether a multipolar world is, in fact, achievable (Brooks & Wohlforth, 2023), there are a few cautionary tales as to whether a new world order would easily uproot colonial science and technology structures (Basalla, 1969). This paper discusses the issue of multipolarity and South-South relations through the lenses of science and technology developments in Latin America, in dialogue with the Latin American Thinking in Science, Technology, and Development (PLACTS) (Varsavsky, 1969; Sábato, 1975) and more recent Latin American STS writings (Brandão & Bagattolli, 2017; Silva, 2021). It argues that calls to break dependency upon Western science and technology systems in Latin America did not necessarily equate to new epistemological and infrastructural imperatives. In fact, as seen in recent technology policy, they could further perpetuate dependent development models. In striving for a multipolar world, this paper hopes to offer STS scholars a cautionary tale to approach the “multipolar fever” critically.
Zhan Zhang (University of Nottingham Ningbo China)
Short abstract:
This paper investigates the evolving discourse surrounding Chinese big-tech firms and their role in global AI competition, alongside China's view of the Global South as a primary market for its global AI leadership ambitions.
Long abstract:
The past decade has been pivotal for the digital technology revolution in the global context, with significant shifts in technological advancements, geopolitical dynamics, and international policy debates shaping the discourse. Different from the Multistakeholder Governance approach that empowers stakeholders from the North—big tech companies in particular—to extend their hegemonic control over the critical resources within the global cyberspace, the Chinese discourse has been supporting ‘digital sovereignty’ along the time, shedding lights on the imbalanced development of internet infrastructure and technology advancement in developing countries, claiming the importance of internet governance from a multilateral approach.
However, the exponential rise of China’s digital economy and the business expansion of Chinese technology firms globally have tested the limits of its sovereignty-centric approach, challenging Beijing’s aspiration of its Digital Silk Road initiative. Chinese tech giants are emerging as significant stakeholders, directly or indirectly involved in global governance concerning big data and AI. Nevertheless, heightened regulatory oversight from Beijing has led to extensive restrictions affecting international activities of these companies, include in the Global South.
This paper thus investigates the evolving discourse surrounding Chinese big-tech firms and their role in global AI competition, alongside China's view of the Global South as a primary market for its global AI leadership ambitions. It examines the narrowing influence of Chinese tech giants amid the country's complex AI regulatory framework, and discusses Beijing's approach to fostering strategic inclusiveness among international stakeholders (from the Global South), through its recent proposal to establish "a community with a shared future in cyberspace."
Yiping Cao (University of Edinburgh) James Stewart (University of Edinburgh) Xiaobai Shen (University of Edinburgh)
Short abstract:
This research examines the contextual factors that shape the differences in big data system development in Global South and Global North by using the comparative case study of China's SCS (public service access) & UK's HART (risk assessment) to reveal system adaptability & stakeholder experiences
Long abstract:
Individual scoring, a data analytics technique employed for the categorisation, evaluation, and prognosis of both individuals and broader populations, has been made possible with the development and deployment of data-driven technology (Dencik et al., 2019). As a powerful tool designed for achieving more integrated and granular information about populations, it has been promoted in the Global South and Global North to provide a deeper insight into societal challenges while enhancing the precision and effectiveness of public service allocation and delivery. However, when, where, how, and why these systems are used, the trade-off negotiated among the stakeholders, the practitioners’ perception towards developing and implementing these systems, and the state-citizen relationship shaped by how people are seen and engage with data-driven governance remains unknown.
To resolve these gaps, this research aims to reveal the heterogeneity of data systems and their functionalities and the dependency of their adoption on local and broader societal variables by conducting cross-comparative case studies of individual scoring practices in China and the UK through the BOAP framework. China’s Social Credit System (SCS) aims to enhance judicial discipline and compliance by assessing people’s financial and social trustworthiness to determine their access to public services. In the UK, the Harm Assessment Risk Tool (HART) has been deployed to categorise the risk level of defendants to inform the custody decisions.
Empirically, it will provide a nuanced insight into the contextual factors that shape the adaptability of the systems and the stakeholders’ and partitioners’ perception, engagement and experience related to these systems.
Noa Mor
Short abstract:
This research examines the digital disparities among languages and their social, cultural, and legal implications. It further considers whether international law can support a right to participate in digital domains using one’s first language.
Long abstract:
The digital age offers unprecedented opportunities to access, create, and share information. However, many benefits are primarily available in English and a few other languages, many of which are European. When attempting to use their first language, speakers of less advantageous languages often face barriers such as limited broadband access, unsuitable equipment such as keyboards, apps that do not support their languages, and scarcity of relevant content. Despite advancements in AI, specifically in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLMs), which have broadened language coverage, these technologies frequently fail to match the performance available to speakers of digitally dominant languages. Such restricted access to digitalization in one’s first language may bear profound ramifications in education, health, law, employment, culture, and religion. It may also undermine cultural diversity, the plurality of voices, and a meaningful market of ideas. Moreover, it risks diminishing vulnerable and low-resource languages and may even lead to their extinction.
My research examines the digital disparities among languages and their social, cultural, and legal implications. It further explores three categories of human rights as potential frameworks for this right: (1) always-applicable human rights, such as linguistic rights and freedom of expression; (2) context-dependent rights, like the right to health or education; (3) digital-age human rights, including the right to access the internet. Drawing on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and focusing on the third category, the study highlights the responsibilities of states and platforms in upholding such rights.
Mona Elswah (Center for Democracy and Technology)
Short abstract:
Using qualitative methods, this study investigates content moderation biases for non-English languages in the Global South, focusing on the Maghrebi Arabic as a case study
Long abstract:
Efforts to develop accurate and fair content moderation systems have primarily focused on English-language content. Prior research found that Maghrebi Arabic (the dialect spoken in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morrocco) has been even more neglected compared to other Arabic dialects, which have already faced bias and discrimination (Elswah, 2024). Hence, we study how tech companies create mechanisms to moderate Maghrebi Arabic and how these impact users in the Maghreb region. We interview NLP researchers, AI developers, and content creators to scrutinise how content moderation operates across platforms in the Maghrebi Arabic case. Preliminary findings reveal several key points: a) Maghrebi Arabic speakers have evolved the language and adopted what they call “Arabizi”, writing Arabic words using Latin letters. This colonial effect on the language has imposed a new challenge on technology companies and AI developers. This Westernized version of the language has no standard form of writing and no rules, posing a new challenge for developing accurate AI models. B) technology companies are badly moderating content from languages in the Global South. This bad moderation includes over-moderation and under-moderation of content at the same time., c) researchers in this region invest a lot of effort in collecting and storing datasets that could be used to develop AI models and applications. Thus, it is important for large technology companies to involve local researchers from this region to improve the accuracy of their models.
Alexandra Gualavisí (STS Lab from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, FLACSO - Ecuador)
Short abstract:
Shed light into the inherent risks and controversies entailed in the realization of sociotechnical imaginaries of digital transformation, as well as the intricate politics surrounding technological and policy designs.
Long abstract:
Since the early 21st century, the vision of promoting the development of an information society as the foundation for achieving welfare, productivity, sustainability, and inclusion through technology has taken root in Latin America. Initially emerging as a business issue related to "boosting the digital economy and e-commerce", digital transformation has become a prominent topic on regional and national policy agendas. Far from being a neutral process, digital transformation entails unexpected conflicts like divergent ethical standards for the adoption of AI. Moreover, it is driven by particular sociotechnical imaginaries that have the power to shape technological designs, establish national policy objectives, direct public spending, and justify the inclusion or exclusion of citizens. This research aims to elucidate what are the sociotechnical imaginaries driving national digital transformation policies in Ecuador? Specifically, the article focuses on the identification of relevant publics within the national digital transformation project. How are citizens identified by the state? Are large technological companies regarded as a distinct public or as an extension of the state? How do tech giants perceive the state? What roles does each actor have? The investigation utilizes a national case study to identify the discourses and practices that constitute national sociotechnical imaginaries of digital transformation. Methods include documentary analysis, stakeholder interviews, and participant observation at digital transformation events. It is expected that the results shed light into the inherent risks and controversies entailed in the realization of sociotechnical imaginaries of digital transformation, as well as the intricate politics surrounding technological and policy designs.
Daniel Vizuete (CTS Lab de la Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, FLACSO - Sede Ecuador)
Short abstract:
The Open Government paradigm emphasizes transparency, participation & collaboration, but in the implementation the challenges arise. The case of Ecuador's procurement platform shows how to prioritize infrastructure over social changes, a distorted vision of the Open Government paradigm is generated
Long abstract:
The Open Government Initiative, spearheaded by the Barack Obama Administration, emphasizes transparency, participation, and collaboration in public policies as fundamental pillars for enhancing public policies worldwide. This approach, advanced by entities like the Open Government Partnership (OGP), aimed to leverage ICT advancements to foster citizen engagement and improve governmental efficiency.
However, an examination of 1133 action commitments across 15 Latin American OGP countries reveals an imbalance in implementing these principles. Transparency, particularly in infrastructure-focused areas like Open Budget Platforms and Open Data Databases, often takes precedence over fostering social and institutional changes necessary for genuine collaboration and participation and neglecting broader social and institutional changes.
Based on an analysis of official documents on this project and interviews with policy makers, technicians and users, we delve into the process of embodying the principles of Open Government in the implementation of Ecuador's "Open Information on Public Procurement" commitment, that illustrates this imbalance. Despite aiming to enhance citizen engagement and efficiency in procurement processes, the implementation process highlights challenges in aligning techno-promises with Ecuador's political and technical landscape. The platform's effects differ from expectations, yielding unintended consequences, underwhelming outcomes, and a distorted version of the open government paradigm. Highlighting the generation of new forms of opacity in sensitive information and changing the citizen participation.
This distortion results from the prioritization of transparency infrastructure investment over social and institutional reforms. The study underscores the need of taken into account dynamics of pre-existing policy formulation and nuanced adaptation of open government principles to diverse contexts.