Jessica Feldman Discusses Democracy in the Digital Era
Jessica Feldman, assistant professor of communication, media, and culture at The American University of Paris, said that the internet has the ability to both empower and disempower individuals globally, in a virtual lecture organized by Celeste Schenck, president of AUP, on Feb. 10.
"This seems like a paradox, but that’s just what happens when you build something for profit,” Feldman said, paraphrasing an article by Miriyam Aouragh and Anne Alexander about the democratic advantages and disadvantages of the internet. “What happens when digital tools are shaped by democracy and social justice and not profit?” Feldman questioned.
Jessica Feldman, Assistant Professor of Global Communications at AUP (Photo credit: Laura Stevens)
Referencing Sudan, Feldman spoke about protests which expanded across the country after a military coup arose in October of 2021. Sharing an image from one of these anti-coup protests on screen, Feldman noted the significance of individuals using their cellphones to take photos and videos of the surrounding events. “This kind of citizen journalism and documentation is very important for getting the word out about the scope and the power of movements like this,” Feldman said.
The North-African country experienced a month-long internet service outage in conjunction with the military coup, according to Netblocks. “This happens a lot,” Feldman said. “This problem recurs all over the world,” she added. For further reading about the current conditions in Sudan, Feldman suggested visiting this webpage.
Video by: FRANCE 24 English on YouTube
Continuing with her presentation, Feldman introduced additional examples of activist groups and examined shared aspects of their methods of communication. "They all used network social media and cellphones to mobilize and then they all experienced problems with that," Feldman said. "Then they all developed their own communication protocols and tools," she added.
Universally, Feldman's lecture centered around a common message. "What we see here overall is the need for communities to own and control their data," Feldman said. "There is a need to be able to make decisions about your communications in a democratic way," she added.
Feldman’s research focuses on contemporary technological advancements and how they aid democracy. Her current project addresses “the ways in which democratic values are (or are not) inscribed in the design of emerging networked communication technologies,” according to the event registration website. "A thread that runs through all of my work is a question about how do the things that we create allow us to imagine different and hopefully better human futures," Feldman said.
Sudanese protesters participate in a sit in. (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Ola A. Alsheikh)
Feldman’s talk, the fifth event within the Presidential Lecture Series at AUP, concluded at 6:15 p.m. Central European Standard Time. "The people who make technology have played a role in the decline of our democracies but you've given us some hope today too that there is maybe a way to reinvigorate them as well," said Schenck, as the event came to an end. “Please stay tuned for the next two exciting events in this series,” she added, addressing the audience.
To register for future events hosted by Schenck in the series “Technology and the Human Future,” visit the Presidential Lecture Series webpage. To watch the full-length recording of Feldman's lecture, visit AUPvideos YouTube Channel.
