TeamMembers EditorinChief DeboraHan
EditorinChief CharlotteBright
EditorinChief CrosbyRosenthal
ChiefofOperations ScottElliott
CoverDesigner MollyRobson
StaffWriter AaniqaKarmali
StaffWriter TéaBreedon
StaffWriter SpencerStarosta
StaffWriter AlexBorgert
StaffWriter JayaKumar
AssistantEditor RheaPuri
AssitantEditor AlexandraDuchesne
AssistantEditor MelissaCardenas
Letter from the Editor DearReaders,
As2025drawstoaclose,wefindourselvesatapivotalmomentinhistory,onewhere technologyisnolongersimplyatoolweuse,butaforceactivelyreshapingtheveryfoundations ofgovernance,democracy,andpoweritself.ThisfallissueofTheObserver,"Technocratic Traditions,"examinesthistransformationwiththecriticaleyeitdemands.Thethemeemerged fromarecognitionthatwearewitnessingsomethingunprecedented:theriseoftechnocracyasa definingfeatureofourpoliticallandscape.FromAI-poweredsurveillancestatesto algorithm-drivenpolicydecisions,fromdeepfake-threatenedelectionstodigitalsovereignty battlesintheGlobalSouth,theboundariesbetweentechnicalexpertiseandpoliticalauthorityare dissolvingbeforeoureyes.
Ourwriterstacklethesequestionsfromdiverseangles:JayaKumartraceshowtheUS andChinaareconvergingonalgorithmicgovernance,TéaBreedonconfrontsthe"crisisof knowing"createdbydeepfakes,AlexBorgertmapstheriseoftechnocraticleadersfromCanada toNewYork,SpencerStarostaarguesforurgentsocialmediaregulation,andAaniqaKarmali warnsthattheGlobalSouth'sfightfordigitalsovereigntymustnotabandonitsmostvulnerable populations.Whatunitesthesepiecesisasharedconcern:thatwearetradingdemocratic deliberationforalgorithmicefficiency,politicalaccountabilityfortechnicaloptimization,and humanagencyformachine-drivendecision-making.
Thisisnottosaythattechnologyisinherentlydangerousorthatexpertisehasnoplacein governance.Rather,itistoinsistthatwemustremainvigilantaboutwhocontrolsthesesystems, whoseintereststheyserve,andwhatassumptionsabouthumanbehaviorandsocialorganization areembeddedintheircode.Behindeveryalgorithmliesasetofvalues.Behindeverydatacenter liesaconcentrationofpower.Behindevery"evidence-based"policyliesachoiceaboutwhat countsasevidenceandwhogetstodecide.Thesearepoliticalquestions,notmerelytechnical ones,andtheydemandpoliticalanswers.
Thankyoutoourincredibleteamofwriters,editors,anddesignerswhopouredtheir energyandinsightintothisissue.Yourdedicationtorigorousanalysisandthoughtfulcritiqueis whatmakesTheObserverpossible.
TheObserverwouldliketoclarify,theopinionsofthearticlesarethoseofthewriters andthewritersalone.Opinionspresentedinarticlesdonotnecessarilyrepresenttheviewsofthe Observerasanorganzation,noraretheyaffiliatedwiththeviewsofQIAAorQueen’s.Please keepthisinmindandreadthewriter’sworkswithanopenmind,directinganyquestionstoour email:theobserver@qiaa.orgorfeelfreetomessageourinstagram@the.observerqiaa
Asalways,happyreadingandahugeshoutouttoourteamfortheircontinuedhardworkand dedicationincreatingthisissue!!
01 TheGlobalRiseofAISecurityStates
❖Jaya Kumar
02 IsSeeingStillBelieving?DeepfakesandDemocraticTrust
❖Téa Breedon
03 TechnocracyAscendant:ReimaginingPoliticalLegitimacyin theDigitalAge
❖Alex Borgert
04 SocialMediaRegulation:ANecessityForHealthyDemocracy
❖Spencer Starosta
05 NoOneLeftBehind:GlobalSouthstrategiesfordigital sovereigntymustnotforgettheirmostvulnerablepopulations
❖Aaniqa Karmali
TheGlobalRiseofAISecurityStates By: Jaya Kumar
As2025reachesitsend,itisnolonger hyperbolictosaythatartificialintelligence(AI) hasevolvedfrom beingamereinstrumentof governancetobecominggovernanceitself.
Acrossdemocratic,authoritarian,andhybrid regimesalike,wearewitnessingtheriseof technocratic securitystates:systemsinwhich algorithmicdecision-making,vastopaquedata infrastructures,and technicalexpertise increasinglyembodypoliticalpowerandshape citizenlife.Overthecourseofthispast fall,the acceleratingintegrationofAIintostatesecurity infrastructuressignalstheemergenceofanew globaltechnocraticorder,oneinwhich governanceisautomated,traditional mechanismsofdemocratic accountabilityare obscured,andauthorityisincreasinglydefined throughdigitalinfrastructures
Bymid-2025,theUnitedStatesmadeitspublic debutstepintoautomatedgovernancewhen America'sAI ActionPlanwasformally unveiledinJuly.TheTrumpadministration frameditasaroadmaptowinthe globalAI race,definedbythreepositivelyphrasedpillars: acceleratinginnovation,buildingUS AI infrastructure,andleadingininternational diplomacyandsecurity 1 Theplangoesonto identifyover ninetyfederalpolicyactionsby whichdomesticregulationwillbestreamlined, data-centreand semiconductorcapacitywill increase,andUS AIpolicywillbeoriented towardgeopoliticaldominance 2
InparallelwithitsWesterncounterpart,the Chinesegovernmentannounceditsownvision forAI governance,publishingtheGlobalAI GovernanceActionPlaninJuly.Itsetsouta 13-pointroadmapthat includesnationalsteps toenhanceinfrastructure,standards,data
1 TheWhiteHouse “WhiteHouseUnveilsAmerica’s AIActionPlan,”July23,2025. https://wwwwhitehousegov/articles/2025/07/white-h ouse-unveils-americas-ai-actionplan/?utm source
2 Ibid.
sharing,open-sourcecooperation,anda unified globalframeworkforAIgovernance.3 Onthe sameday,Chinaproposedthecreationofa globalAIcooperationorganizationthatwould leadandmediateinternationalAIdevelopment and regulatoryefforts,potentially headquarteredinShanghai.4
US PresidentDonaldTrumpdisplaysasignedexecutive orderduringthe"WinningtheAIRace"summithostedby All-In PodcastandHill&ValleyForumatthe AndrewW.MellonAuditoriumonJuly23,2025in Washington,DC Trumpsigned executiveordersrelated tohisArtificialIntelligenceActionPlanduringtheevent CHIPSOMODEVILLA/GETTYIMAGES
However,beneaththisprogressiveandglobal collaborationthemedrhetoricliesaneffortto normalizea governancemodelinwhich automatedsystemsquietlyassumerolesonce heldbydemocraticinstitutions, or,inthecase ofauthoritarianregimes,employthesame technologiestoreinforcesurveillance,stability, andstatedominance Togetherthese developmentssignalthatArtificialIntelligence (AI)isnolonger simplyanewsubsetof technologypolicy,butratheritiscentraltohow statesofallgovernancemodels planto conceiveofsecurity,economy,andsovereignty inthecomingyears.5
3 AmericanNationalStandardsInstitute-ANSI. “ChinaAnnouncesActionPlanforGlobalAI Governance”AmericanNationalStandardsInstitute, August2025.
https://wwwansiorg/standards-news/all-news/8-1-25 -china-announces-action-plan-for-global-ai governance?utm source
4 Ibid
5 Klein,Aaron,CameronFKerry,ChinasaTOkolo, DarrellMWest,LandrySigné,MarkMuro, Niam
Uponexaminationofthisshiftinggeopolitical landscape,threepointsofinflectionstandout:
First,powerconsolidationaroundthosewho controltechnicalexpertiseandinfrastructure BoththeUS planandChina’sactionplan exemplifythis,asgovernanceisincreasingly definedbywhocanbuild, secure,andscale thedatacentres,computationalcapacity,and pipelinesthatAIdependson IntheUS, this canbeobservedbyeffortstoreduceregulatory obstaclestodata-centreconstructionand promotion ofa“secure-by-design”approach toAIinfrastructure 6
Second,weseeincreasinglyblurredlines betweengovernanceandalgorithmiccontrol Whenstates embedAIsystemsinto public-sectordecision-makingand management,forexampleinsurveillance,pre emptivepolicingtactics,ornationalsecurity, theconcentrationofpowershiftstoward technicalsystems andawayfromtraditional democraticdeliberationandaccountability heldbythecitizens.
Third,theinternationalizationofthenotionof technocraticgovernance.China’sActionPlan explicitly aimstospearheadandregulate globalnormsandstandardsaroundAI,while theWhiteHouseframesAI leadershipasa geopoliticalcompetitionitintendstowinby meansoftheAmericanAIActionPlan These mirroredambitionsandassertionsof dominancemayultimatelymeanthatdifferent regimes convergeontechnocraticjustifications formoreintensivegovernance,whilethey
Yaraghi,etal “WhattoMakeoftheTrump Administration’sAIActionPlan”Brookings, July 31,2025.
https://wwwbrookingsedu/articles/what-to-make-of-t he-trump-administrations-aiaction-plan/?utm source
6 4.Ropesgray.com.“‘WinningtheRace:America’s AIActionPlan’–KeyPillars,PolicyActions, and FutureImplications,”July31,2025
https://www.ropesgray.com/en/insights/alerts/2025/07 /winning-the-race-americas-ai-action-plan key-pillars-policy-actions-and-future-implications?ut m source.
divergeintocompeting ecosystemsofcontrol, allinthenameofinternationalstewardshipand globaldominance.
Technocracycommonlyreferstogovernance shapedbytechnicalexpertsratherthanelected representatives.Giventhisunderstanding,itis clearthatatechnocratictraditionisbeing reinventedfor thenewdigitalage:thebelief thatcomplexsocietalissuesarebestsolved throughtechnicalexpertise,and ultimately algorithmiccontrol,ratherthantraditional democraticorgovernmentaldeliberation.The implicationsofthisnewparadigmareglobal. Inhybridregimesoremergingdemocracies, adoptingAI governancestructuresinitially framedinpro-democraticlanguagemay ironicallyleadtogreater centralisationof powerandfewerchecksandbalances Authoritarianregimes,likewise,mayjustify expansivesurveillanceorpredictivecontrol programmesundertheguiseofsecurityor nationalistic protection Evenliberal democraciesarevulnerabletoafutureinwhich opaquealgorithmicsystemsserve thepartiesin power,disenfranchisingtheverycitizensthey aremeanttorepresentandempower Onthe globalstage,technocraticgovernancealso intersectswithdigitalsovereigntyand technologicalsupplychaincompetition.States arenowcompetingnotjusteconomicallyor militarily,butalsooverwhowill setthe standards,controltheinfrastructure,anddefine thealgorithmsthatstructurebothvaluechains and governance.
Inconsideringtherisksofthisnewtechnocratic securitization,wemustcarefullyevaluatethe risk associatedwiththesystems,especially whenemployedatagloballevel.Behindevery algorithmliesasetofassumptionsabouthuman behaviour,efficiency,risk,securityandsocial organisation.Behindevery high-capacity data-centreorAIdecision-algorithmliesa concentrationofpowerthatislessvisible,and thereforelessaccountable,thantraditional politicaldecision-makingprocesses.
As2025nearsitsend,itisclearthatweareat animpasseinglobalinfrastructure.Theriseof
technocratic traditions,wheretechnical expertise,algorithmicdecision-making,and technologicalcapabilitydetermine political outcomes,demandsourattentionnotonlyasa policyissuebutasaquestionofdemocracy, privacy,exclusion,andhumanagency.Ifwefail tograpplewiththepoliticsofthese infrastructures,we riskaworldinwhich accountabilityisoutsourcedtomachinesand citizensbecomesubjectsofsystems ratherthan participantsincollectiveself-governance.
Bibliography:
1.TheWhiteHouse.“WhiteHouseUnveils America’sAIActionPlan,”July23,2025 https://wwwwhitehousegov/articles/2025/0 7/white-house-unveils-americas-ai-action plan/?utm source
2.AmericanNationalStandardsInstituteANSI “ChinaAnnouncesActionPlanfor GlobalAI Governance.”AmericanNational StandardsInstitute,August2025.
https://wwwansiorg/standards-news/all-news/81-25-china-announces-action-plan-for-globa l-aigovernance?utm source
3.Klein,Aaron,CameronFKerry,ChinasaT Okolo,DarrellMWest,LandrySigné,Mark Muro, NiamYaraghi,etal.“WhattoMake oftheTrumpAdministration’sAIAction Plan”Brookings, July31,2025 https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-tomake-of-the-trump-administrations-ai action-plan/?utm source
4 Ropesgraycom “‘WinningtheRace: America’sAIActionPlan’–KeyPillars, PolicyActions, andFutureImplications,” July31,2025
https://www.ropesgray.com/en/insights/alerts/20 25/07/winning-the-race-americas-ai-action-p lan
key-pillars-policy-actions-and-future-implic ations?utm source.
IsSeeingStillBelieving?Deepfakesand DemocraticTrust Téa Breedon is a fourth year political science major at Queen’s University with an interest in human rights law and international politics
https://wwwjapantimescojp/uploads/imported images/uploads/20 23/07/np file 238360jpeg
Arepoliticianstellingthetruth?Aquestion we’vecertainlyallaskedourselveshasbecome allthemoredifficulttoanswer,thanksto ArtificialIntelligence(AI) Newsarticleswarn usofAIphonescamsreplicatingourloved ones’voicestomakeusbelievetheyarein danger,butwhathappenswhenthisthreatbleeds intopolitics?TheriseofAIhasproduced challengesinthepoliticalsphere,where syntheticmedia,knownasdeepfakes,has becomemoreconvincing.Deepfaketechnology nowenablesthecreationofconvincingaudio andvideoofpublicfiguresstatingthingsthey neveractuallysaid Byconsequence,the growinguseofdeepfakesthreatensdemocracy byspreadingdisinformation,distorting informationwhichvotersrelyonforinformed decision-making,andhinderingtheirabilityto holdpoliticiansaccountable.
DeepfakesareasubsetofAI,relyingonGeneral AdversarialNetworks(GANs)toproduce convincingmaterial GANscomprisea generatorthatcreatessyntheticdataanda discriminatorthatdistinguishesrealfromfake
datamadebythegenerator.7 Despitetheirrapid use,deepfakesonlyemergedeightyearsago;in 2017,theyfirstappearedonsocialmedia platformslikeRedditasameansofmocking celebrities 8 Theincreaseduseofdeepfakesis explainedbytherapiddevelopmentofdeepfake models,whichhaveenhancedboththe convincingnessand,inturn,appealof deepfakes In2019,thetraditionalGANmodel expandedintoadvancedversions,suchas StyleGAN,whichaccommodates higher-resolutioninputimagestomakeoutputs appearmoreconvincing.9 Theongoing developmentofdeepfakemodelsthusmakes onethingclear:AIisheretostay.
Thisevolutionhasalsoopenedthedoorto politicalincidentsthatunderminedemocratic legitimacy InMarch2022,adeepfakevideo circulateddepictingUkrainianPresident ZelenskyyurgingaUkrainiansurrenderto Russia 10 Thoughmanycommentatorsnotedthat thepoorqualityofthevideorenderediteasily identifiableasAI,thisincidentmarkedonlythe beginningofpoliticaldeepfakescandals In 2024,afalsifiedvoiceclipofTaiwanese candidateTerryGoushowedhimendorsinga rival anattemptwhichaimedtotaintGou’s
7 MarketsandMarkets,“DeepfakeAIMarketWorth $7,2728Millionby2031,”2025, https://wwwmarketsandmarketscom/PressReleases/d eepfake-ai.asp.
8 DanielThomas,“Deepfakes:AThreatto DemocracyorJustaBitofFun?,”January23,2020, https://wwwbbccom/news/business-51204954
9 BenjaminN.JacobsenandJillSimpson,“The TensionsofDeepfakes,”InformationCommunication &Society27,no 6(July13,2023):1095–1109, https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118x.2023.2234980.
10 BobbyAllyn,“DeepfakeVideoofZelenskyy CouldBe‘tipoftheIceberg’inInfoWar,Experts Warn,”NPR,March17,2022, https://wwwnprorg/2022/03/16/1087062648/deepfak e-video-zelenskyy-experts-war-manipulation-ukraine -russia.
campaign.11 Closertohome,manipulatedaudio ofJoeBidenwasdisseminatedbytelephoneto voters,urgingthemtostayhomeduringthe Democraticprimariesontheclaimthattheir voteintheNovemberelectionismore important 12 Lastlyandmostrecently,Irish presidentialcandidateCatherineConnollywas victimtoadeepfakevideoinOctober2025 whichfalselyannouncedherwithdrawalfrom therace.13 Combined,theseincidentspointtoan erosionoftrustinauthenticmediaandthe concerning,unfalteringriseofAI.
Perhapsevenmoreconcerning,however,isthe lagofAIdetectionmodels.Thecapabilityof deepfakecreationhasconsistentlyoutpaced detectionefforts;deepfakecreationmodelsare easiertobuildthandeepfakedetectionmodels, whichrequiremassivedatasetsof knownfakes inordertoinstructdetection.14 Thischallengeis exacerbatedbytheexpandingmarketfor deepfakeAItechnology In2024,theglobal marketwasestimatedatUSD764.8millionand isprojectedtoreachUSD19,824.7millionby
11 AlexanderRomanishyn,OlenaMalytska,and VitaliyGoncharuk,“AI-drivenDisinformation: PolicyRecommendationsforDemocratic Resilience,”FrontiersinArtificialIntelligence8 (July31,2025):1569115, https://doiorg/103389/frai20251569115
12 ShannonBond,“HowAIDeepfakesPolluted Electionsin2024,”NPR,December21,2024, https://wwwnprorg/2024/12/21/nx-s1-5220301/deep fakes-memes-artificial-intelligence-elections
13 PieterHaeck,“DeepfakeVideoofIrishPresidential CandidateRocksCampaign,”POLITICO,October 22,2025, https://www.politico.eu/article/deepfake-video-of-iris h-presidential-candidate-rocks-campaign/
14 LukeAuburn,“AreVideoDeepfakesPowerful EnoughtoInfluencePoliticalDiscourse?,”News Center,October25,2024, https://wwwrochesteredu/newscenter/video-deepfak es-ai-meaning-definition-technology-623572/.
2033.15 WhileAIdetectionmodelshavebeen evolving,theystruggletokeeppace.Thevery goalofAIistomimichumans,andAIgota head-start;detectionmodelsarenowjust fightingtokeepup
Globally,governmentsrecognizethatdeepfake creationisacceleratingandcarriessignificant politicalrisks IntheUS,securityorganizations liketheNationalSecurityAgency(NSA),the FederalBureauofInvestigation(FBI)andthe CybersecurityandInfrastructureSecurity Agency(CISA)haveidentifiedindividuals workinginexecutivepositionsinfinance, politics,andinternalcommunicationsas disproportionatelyvulnerabletosyntheticmedia scams 16 TheChinesegovernmenthas significantlyadvanceditsdetectionmethods.In Januaryof2023,theCyberspaceAdministration ofChina(CAC),theMinistryofIndustryand InformationTechnology(MIIT),andthe MinistryofPublicSecurity(MPS)effectedthe DeepSynthesisProvisions.Thedocument clarifiestherulesforthemanagementoftext, image,audio,andvideosynthesis 17 This approachrecognisesthattheproliferationofAI isunstoppableandashifttoregulationrather thancompleterejectionofAIistheonlyfeasible
15 GrandViewResearch.2025.“DeepfakeAIMarket SizeandShare:IndustryReport”https://ww wgrandviewresearchcom/industry-analysis/deepfake -ai-market-report
16 MashaBorak,“USSecurityAgenciesTout Biometrics,LivenessDetectiontoDefendAgainst Deepfakes,”BiometricUpdate|BiometricsNews, CompaniesandExplainers,September15,2023, https://wwwbiometricupdatecom/202309/us-security -agencies-tout-biometrics-liveness-detection-to-defen d-against-deepfakes.
17 ChinaBriefing,“ChinatoRegulateDeepSynthesis (Deepfake)TechnologyFrom2023,”ChinaBriefing News,December20,2022, https://wwwchina-briefingcom/news/china-to-regula te-deep-synthesis-deep-fake-technology-starting-janu ary-2023/.
option.AcrosstheEuropeanUnion(EU),the ArtificialIntelligenceAct(2024)placeslegal obligationsongeneralpurposeAI(GPAI) providerstodisclosetheirtestingprocesses, notifydownstreamconsumersofproperand lawfuluseofthemodels,respecttheEU CopyrightDirective,andpublishasummaryof theirtrainingdata 18 Together,these advancementsrepresentauniversal understandingoftherisksposedbythe proliferationofAI Butthequestionremains: doesthisprogressremainontrackwiththepace ofAI?
Despitetheseefforts,globalresponsesremain uncoordinatedandfragmented,creating challengesgloballytocounterAIproliferation Theinternationalconsequencesofdeepfakes extendbeyondtechnologicalissuestoa democraticones.Deepfakesposeathreattothe functioningofdemocracybycreatinga“crisisof knowing” atermdenotingindividuals’ decreasedabilitytodistinguishtruthfrom falsehoodduetoAI.TheincidentsofBiden, Zelenskyy,Gou,andConnollyshowhow syntheticmediamisleadstheelectoratethrough increasinglybelievabledisinformation For instance,a2024PewResearchCentersurvey foundthat57%ofAmericanswere“very”or “extremely”worriedthatAIwouldbeusedto spreaddisinformationinfutureelections.19 Althoughthesenumbersillustrateaheightened awarenessoftheriseofAIinelections,they representadouble-edgedsword.Bornfromthis awarenessisthe“liar’sdividend”,thetactic employedbypoliticianswherebytheyfalsely
18 EuropeanUnion,“High-levelSummaryoftheAI Act|EUArtificialIntelligenceAct,”2024., https://artificialintelligenceacteu/high-level-summary /
19 AbbasYazdinejadandJudeKong,“Battling deepfakes:HowAIthreatensdemocracyandwhatwe candoaboutit,”TheConversation,August20,2025, https://doi.org/10.64628/aam.xr5vjqy3f.
claimthatrealevidenceisfaketoavoid accountability.20 Sinceactorsrecognizethis growingskepticismaroundAI,theyweaponize doubttoshieldthemselvesfromscrutinyand advancetheirpreferrednarratives Suchatactic createsadoublebindwhereneitherbeliefnor disbeliefinonlineinformationcanbeverified. DemocracyisthusatthemercyofAI;artificial contentboththreatensinformed decision-makingandweakenspolitical accountabilitybygivingpoliticiansaconvenient excusetodismissinformationcontentasfalse.
Deepfakeshaveextendedbeyondhypothetical concernstotangiblepoliticalconsequences.By erodingtrust,weaponizingdoubt,andoutpacing detection,AImediathreatensdemocratic integrity.Whileglobalactorshaverespondedto thisthreatindividually,thesereactionsare fragmentedandinconsistent,revealingthatno singlestatecanconfronttheriseofAIalone. Thefutureofelectorallegitimacyhingeson constituents’abilitytotelltruthfromfalsehood, butthepossibilityofcoordinatedinternational preventionandregulationeffortsiscomplicated bycompetinginterestsheldbyindividualglobal actors Thus,acentralquestionremains:can internationalactorsbandtogethertodevelopAI detectionstrategiesandharmonizedregulatory standardsthatminimizethepoliticalharmsof deepfakes?
References:
Allyn,Bobby “DeepfakeVideoofZelenskyy CouldBe‘tipoftheIceberg’inInfoWar, ExpertsWarn.”NPR,March17,2022. https://wwwnprorg/2022/03/16/1087062648/de epfake-video-zelenskyy-experts-war-man ipulation-ukraine-russia.
20 NadiaNaffi,“DeepfakesandtheCrisisof Knowing,”UNESCO,October27,2025, https://wwwunescoorg/en/articles/deepfakes-and-cri sis-knowing.
Auburn,Luke.“AreVideoDeepfakesPowerful EnoughtoInfluencePoliticalDiscourse?” NewsCenter,October25,2024
https://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/video-dee pfakes-ai-meaning-definition-technology -623572/
Bond,Shannon.“HowAIDeepfakesPolluted Electionsin2024”NPR,December21, 2024
https://www.npr.org/2024/12/21/nx-s1-5220 301/deepfakes-memes-artificial-intelligence elections.
Borak,Masha.“USSecurityAgenciesTout Biometrics,LivenessDetectiontoDefend AgainstDeepfakes.”BiometricUpdate| BiometricsNews,Companiesand Explainers,September15,2023
https://www.biometricupdate.com/202309/us-se curity-agencies-tout-biometrics-liveness detection-to-defend-against-deepfakes. “High-levelSummaryoftheAIAct|EU ArtificialIntelligenceAct,”nd https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/high-levelsummary/.
GrandViewResearch 2025 “DeepfakeAI MarketSizeandShare:IndustryReport.” https://ww wgrandviewresearchcom/industry-analysis/ deepfake-ai-market-report
Haeck,Pieter “DeepfakeVideoofIrish PresidentialCandidateRocksCampaign.” POLITICO,October22,2025.
https://wwwpoliticoeu/article/deepfake-video-o f-irish-presidential-candidate-rocks-cam paign/
Interesse,Guilia “ChinatoRegulateDeep Synthesis(Deepfake)TechnologyFrom 2023”ChinaBriefingNews,December20, 2022
https://www.china-briefing.com/news/china-to-r egulate-deep-synthesis-deep-fake-technol ogy-starting-january-2023/.
Jacobsen,BenjaminN,andJillSimpson.“The TensionsofDeepfakes”Information
Communication&Society27,no.6(July 13,2023):1095–1109.
https://doiorg/101080/1369118x20232234980 MarketsandMarkets.“DeepfakeAIMarket Worth$7,2728Millionby2031,”July, 2025
https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressR eleases/deepfake-aiasp
Naffi,Nadia “DeepfakesandtheCrisisof Knowing,”UNESCO,October27,2025. https://wwwunescoorg/en/articles/deepfake s-and-crisis-knowing.
Romanishyn,A.,Malytska,O.,&Goncharuk,V. “AI-drivenDisinformation:Policy RecommendationsforDemocratic Resilience”FrontiersinArtificial Intelligence8(July31,2025):1569115 https://doi.org/10.3389/frai.2025.1569115.
Thomas,Daniel “Deepfakes:AThreatto DemocracyorJustaBitofFun?,”January 23,2020.
https://wwwbbccom/news/business-512049 54.
Yazdinejad,Abbas,andKong,Jude.“Battling deepfakes:HowAIthreatensdemocracyand whatwecandoaboutit.”TheConversation, August20,2025
https://doiorg/1064628/aamxr5vjqy3f
TechnocracyAscendant:Reimagining PoliticalLegitimacyintheDigitalAge By: Alex Borgert
OnApril28,2025,theLiberalPartyofCanada waselectedtoafourthconsecutivetermin officeundertheleadershipofnewlyappointed PrimeMinisterMarkCarney 21Intheearly monthsofhisprimeministership,Carney emphasizeddata-drivengovernance,fiscal discipline,andtheuseofartificialintelligence tostreamlinepublicservices.22 Concurrently, severalsimilarfigureshaveemergedacross NorthAmericaandelsewherewhoalso exemplifythistrend:individualswhose authoritystemsnotfromtraditionalpolitical expertisebutfromtheirexpertiseineconomics, technology,ordigitalstrategy Thisgrowing patternsuggeststhattechnocratsare increasinglyleveragingtheirprofessional credentialsandtechnicalfluencytogain politicalpowerandimplementpolicy,often bypassingconventionaldemocraticpathwaysin theprocess
FollowinghisappointmentasPrimeMinisterin March2025,MarkCarneyheraldedasweeping policygroundedinfiscaldiscipline,AI-driven governance,andstrategicindustrialplanning.
Buildingon Canada’s Digital Ambition 2024-25 publishedlastyear,Carneyexpandedthe government’sdigital-firstagendathroughthe creationoftheOfficeofDigital Transformation 23 Thisofficewastaskedwith
21 StéphaniePerault,“Reportonthe45thGeneral ElectionofApril28,2025,”ElectionsCanada, September15,2025, https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&d ir=rep%2Foff%2Fsta ge45&document=index&lang= e
22 MarkCarney,“MandateLetter,”PrimeMinisterof Canada,June26,2025, https://wwwpmgcca/en/mandate-letters/2025/05/21/ mandate-letter?utm source.
23 DepartmentofFinanceCanada,“OurPlan: BuildingCanadaStrong:Budget2025,”Ourplan: BuildingCanadastrong|Budget2025,November4,
identifying,implementing,andscaling technology-ledsolutionswiththegoalof eliminatingredundantprocurementand enabling“whole-of-government”service redesign.24 Together,thesemeasuresextendeda longertrendtowardevidence-basedgovernance whileconsolidatingoversightofdigitalpolicy withinthePrimeMinister’soffice.Carneyhas alsoimplementedhis“sevenpriority governancemodel”toreplacetraditional mandateletters,signallingashifttoward centralized,metrics-basedleadership.25 Hisfirst federalbudgetintroducedroughly$141billion innewspendingoninfrastructure,critical minerals,anddefence,alongwith$60billion fromcutstothefederalpublicservice 26 These initiativesshowcaseMarkCarney’sstrong emphasisonalgorithmicefficiencyand economicmodelingasrepresentativeofa broadertechnocratictradition:expertisein financeanddataanalyticssubstitutespolitical negotiationandgrassrootsengagement
Asimilarreconfigurationofpoliticalpower canbeobservedsouthoftheborder, althoughexpressedthroughadifferent medium.34-yearoldMuslimand DemocraticSocialistZohranMamdaniwas recentlyelectedmayorofAmerica’slargest citynotthroughinternaltraditional canvassing,butbymasteringthemechanics ofsocialmedia 27 Hiscampaignmade abundantuseofshort-formvideos,A/B testing,andinfluencerpartnershipstoreach themorethan8millionresidentsofNew YorkCity,particularlyitsyoungpeopleand
24 DepartmentofFinanceCanada,2025. 2025, https://budgetcanadaca/2025/report-rapport/intro-en html
25 PrimeMinisterofCanada,2025
26 DepartmentofFinanceCanada,2025
27 RachelTreismanandBrianMann,“Mamdani WinsNewYorkCityMayoralRace,inaHistoric VictoryforProgressives,”NPR,November5,2025, https://www.npr.org/2025/11/04/nx-s1-5597788/electi on-results-zohran-mamdani-new-york-city-mayor
marginalizedcommunities.28 Unlikehis opponents,independentandformer DemocraticgovernorofNewYorkAndrew CuomoandRepublicanCurtisSliwa, Mamdani’scampaigneschewedcorporate donationsentirely,relyinglargelyonsmall dollardonations,mostlyunder$250, underscoringhiscommitmenttograssroots politicsoverbig-moneyinfluence.29 Mamdani’sstrategy30 regardedplatforms suchasTiktokandInstagramasboth laboratoriesandloudspeakers,usedto convertdigitalengagementsintoreal-world mobilization 31 Hissuccessshowcasesthat algorithmicfluencyanddata-driven storytellingcannowrival,orperhapseven replace,conventionalpoliticaloutreach. Throughthisstrategy,Mamdanistandsasan exampleofanewbreedoftechnocratic populisminwhichdigitalliteracybecomes anextremelyviablepathwaytopolitical power.
Deed-Attribution-ShareAlike40 International-CreativeCommons
28 KianBakhtiari,“3MarketingLessonsfromZohran Mamdani’sCampaign,”Forbes,November9,2025, https://wwwforbescom/sites/kianbakhtiari/2025/11/0 9/3-marketing-lessons-from-zohran-mamdanis-campa ign/
29 TreismanandMann,2025
30 RalphSavona,“ZohranMamdaniLeadsthePack inSmall-DollarDonationsinNYMayoralRace,”La VocediNewYork,September15,2025, https://lavocedinewyork.com/en/new-york/2025/09/1 4/zohran-mamdani-leads-the-pack-in-small-dollar-do nations-in-ny-mayoral-race/
31 Bakhtiari,2025.
AcrosstheAtlantic,moreexamplesofthis trendmanifestthemselves InSeptember2025, theEuropeanParliamenthostedthe“Fostering DemocraticResilience”summitwhich emphasizeddigitalsovereigntyasabasis againstforeigntechinfluence.32 French MinisterforEuropeandForeignAffairs, Jean-NoelBarrot,announcednewmeasuresto regulatealgorithmictransparencyandcurb disinformation 33 OtherEuropeantechnocrats arespearheadingapushfortechnological sovereignty GermandigitalministerKarsten Wildbergerheadsanewlycreatedministry chargedwiththetaskofconsolidatingdigital infrastructure,AIoversight,and state-modernizationacrossseveraldomains.34 Estonia’sLiisa-LyPakostaservesasMinisterof JusticeandDigitalAffairs,combiningoversight ofjudicialinstitutionsanddigitalgovernancein anationlong-regardedasane-state.35 Together, theseministersstandasexamplesofthe technocraticturningovernance:viadigital portfolios,theyunderscorehowtechnical
32 EdoardoBressanelliandSamuelBernardi,“Study RequestedbytheEUDSSpecialCommittee StrengtheningResilience,”StrengtheningResilience: TowardstheEuropeanDemocracyShield,October 2025,
https://wwweuroparleuropaeu/RegData/etudes/STU D/2025/777917/IUST STU(2025)777917 ENpdf
33 AnaelleJonah,“FromSoftPowertoDigital Firepower:FranceStepsupFightagainst Disinformation,”France24,September8,2025, https://www.france24.com/en/france/20250908-fromsoft-power-to-digital-firepower-france-steps-up-again st-online-disinformation-french-response
34 CynthiaKroet,“Merz’sGovernmentDecreeGives GermanDigitalMinistryExtensivePower,” euronews,July5,2025, https://wwweuronewscom/next/2025/05/07/merzs-g overnment-decree-gives-german-digital-ministry-exte nsive-powers
35 RepublicofEstonia,“MinisterofJusticeand DigitalAffairsLiisa-LyPakosta,”MinistryofJustice andDigitalAffairs,July23,2024, https://wwwjustdigiee/en/ministry-news-and-contact s/about-ministry-and-minister/minister-justice.
expertiseandstatemodernizationhavebecome increasinglycentraltonationalpolicy-making andtheregulatoryagendaintheEuropean Union
ThistrendisnotlimitedtosimplyNorth AmericanandEuropeanborders InAsia, technocraticleadershipisshapingdigital policyatahistoricscale.AttheOctober 2025Asia-PacificEconomicCooperation (APEC)DigitalandAIMinisterialMeeting inIncheon,SouthKorea,ministersfrom21 economiesoutlinedframeworkswith respecttoAIethics,cross-borderdata governance,andcybersecurity cooperation.36 Singapore’sdigitalminister JosephineTeoannouncedexpanded investmentin“GovTech”platformsto enhancepublicdeliverywhileNguyen ManhHungofVietnampushedforregional standardsonalgorithmicaccountability 37 38Manyofthese21ministershailfrom engineeringordatasciencebackgrounds, situatingtechnicalexpertiseasacentral validationforgovernance.Theirrisemarks ashifttowardexpertise-driven policy-making,withdigitalsovereigntyand innovationbeingcentraltonationalsecurity andeconomiccompetitiveness
Theacknowledgedriseoftechnocraticfigures
36 Asia-PacificEconomicCorporation,“2025APEC MinisterialMeeting,”APEC,November1,2025, https://www.apec.org/meeting-papers/annual-minister ial-meetings/2025/2025-apec-ministerial-meeting?ut m source
37 AmitRoyChoudry,“AgenticAi,Quantum RepresentExtraordinaryMomentinTech,Says Singapore’sDigitalMinister,”GovInsider,October 22,2025, https://govinsider.asia/intl-en/article/agentic-ai-quant um-represent-extraordinary-moment-in-tech-says-sin gapores-digital-minister
38 KhanhChi,“AiLawtoBeEnactedin2025,” VnEconomy,September16,2025, https://envneconomyvn/ai-law-to-be-enacted-in-202 5.htm.
suchasMarkCarney,ZohranMamdani,and othersisrepresentativeofagrowingshiftin howpoliticallegitimacyisattained.These individualsdidnotassumepowerthrough traditionalgrassrootsmobilization,instead, leveragingtheirexpertiseineconomics, technology,anddigitalstrategytogain influence.Thistrendbegsaredefinitionof politicalcapitalthatincreasinglyrootsitselfin technicalproficiency,algorithmiccontrol,and platformdominance Indemocraticsystems,this canmeanthebypassingofdeliberative democraticprocessesinthenameofdata-driven efficiency Withinhybridorauthoritarian regimes,itcanmeanconsolidatingpower throughexcessivesurveillance,abusivedigital infrastructure,orAI-enabledgovernance
Whiletechnocracyyieldsthepromiseof precisionandinnovation,italsoraisesquestions aboutaccountabilityandrepresentation Situatedbehindeachalgorithmisasetof assumptionsaboutefficiency,risk,andhuman behaviour,whicharerarelymadethesubjectof publicdebate Asmoretechnocratsgainpower, whichvoicesareamplifiedinshaping technologicalandpoliticalfutures,andwhich areexcludedorsilenced?Theconsolidationof decision-makingbeingincreasinglyplacedin thehandsofexpertsriskssideliningdemocratic participation,particularlyincommunitiesmost impactedbythesetechnologies.Thechallenge thatnowpresentsitselfisadualone:whatwas onceapurelytechnicalchallengehasnow becomeafundamentallypoliticalone
Thisriseoftechnocraticgovernanceis symptomaticofaprofoundrealignmentinhow politicalauthorityisexercisedandjustified As technologyseemstohavebecomeinseparable fromstatecraft,theonceclearlymarked boundariesbetweenexpertiseandpowerhave beguntoblur.FromAI-drivenpolicytodigital campaigningtoplatformcontrol,technocrats arefundamentallyreshapingthepolitical landscape Nonetheless,thistransformationis
farfrombeingideologicallyneutral.Itdemands thehighestdegreeofscrutiny:whoultimately benefits,whotrulydecides,andwhoisleft behind?Asglobalpowerbecomesmore fragmentedanddigitalsovereigntymore contested,thefutureofglobalgovernancemay notonlyhingeonhowwechoosetouse technology,butalsoonhowwedemocratizeits influence
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Bakhtiari,Kian “3MarketingLessonsfrom ZohranMamdani’sCampaign”Forbes, November9,2025.
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Bressanelli,Edoardo,andSamuelBernardi “StudyRequestedbytheEUDSSpecial CommitteeStrengtheningResilience” StrengtheningResilience:Towardsthe EuropeanDemocracyShield,October2025. https://wwweuroparleuropaeu/RegData/et udes/STUD/2025/777917/IUST STU(2025 )777917 EN.pdf.
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Carney,Mark “MandateLetter”Prime MinisterofCanada,June26,2025.
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Choudry,AmitRoy.“AgenticAi,Quantum RepresentExtraordinaryMomentinTech, SaysSingapore’sDigitalMinister” GovInsider,October22,2025.
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Johnstone,Richard “CanadaPMMarkCarney AppointsGovernment‘BuilttoDeliver Change.’”GlobalGovernmentForum,June 3,2025
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Jonah,Anaelle.“FromSoftPowertoDigital Firepower:FranceStepsupFightagainst Disinformation”France24,September8, 2025.
https://wwwfrance24com/en/france/20250 908-from-soft-power-to-digital-firepower-fr an ce-steps-up-against-online-disinformation-f rench-response.
Kroet,Cynthia.“Merz’sGovernmentDecree GivesGermanDigitalMinistryExtensive Power.”euronews,July5,2025. https://wwweuronewscom/next/2025/05/0 7/merzs-government-decree-gives-germandigital-ministry-extensive-powers.
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Savona,Ralph.“ZohranMamdaniLeadsthe PackinSmall-DollarDonationsinNY MayoralRace.”LaVocediNewYork, September15,2025.
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Treisman,Rachel,andBrianMann “Mamdani WinsNewYorkCityMayoralRace,ina HistoricVictoryforProgressives.”NPR, November5,2025
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/04/nx-s1-5597 788/election-results-zohran-mamdani-newyork-city-mayor
SocialMediaRegulation:ANecessityFor HealthyDemocracy By: Spencer Starosta
Today’syoungergenerationsareincreasingly drawntooverstimulatingsocialmediafeeds ratherthannewspapersornovels.Accordingly, youngvotersareevolvingintoincredibly impatientanddopamine-cravingindividuals,as theyrelyonshort-formmediaastheirmain sourceofinformationandconceptualizationof real-worldevents.Sinceimpressionable teenagersandadolescentsoftentake manipulatedvideosorout-of-contextclipsat facevalue,withoutcriticalinquiryorresearch, politicianswhoprioritizetruthandsubstanceare graduallybeingreplacedbythosewhomaster spectacleandvirality.Asshort-formcontent reshapeshowattentionandcredibilityare assigned,societyatlargeisbeginningtovalue entertainmentoverevidence.Therefore,to preservetheintegrityofdemocraticdiscourse, regulatoryoversightofcompaniesthatproduce andpromoteshort-formcontentisessentialto prioritizetruthoverentertainment
Inanexponentiallygrowingsocialmediascene, votersareincreasinglyturningtoshort-form contentforinformationratherthantraditional
mediaoutletsandpublishedresearchpapers. RecentdatafromthePewResearchCenter showsthat20%ofallUS adultsregularlyget insightsintocurrenteventsthroughwatching shortTikTokvideos,insteadoftraditionalnews sourcesorin-depthreports,a567%increase since2020.39 Duetothepublicandcynical perceptionofGen-Zand Gen-Alphaas dopamine-seekingindividualslackingcritical thinkingskills,itmightbeassumedthatthis trendwouldbedominatedbyyoungadults Empirically,43%ofadultsinthePewResearch Studywereaged18to30.40 Withoutthe demandforholisticcontextualizationof real-worldeventstoreducebias,which short-formcontentdoesnottypicallyprovide, youngerpeoplewilllikelyremainpoorly informedwhilealsofavouringentertainment andshockvalue
Indoingso,politicianswillcontinuetoexploit thecurrencyofviralityinexchangeforvotes fortheiragendas,withoutanyconcernfor communicatingmisinformation.Thepaper Partisanship, Propaganda and Post-Truth Politics quantifiedtheeffectofpolitical propagandaonsocialmediaoutlets.Inthe literature,theauthorstestedtwo attention-seekingpoliticalclaimsfrom mainstreampoliticianswithevidenceof misinformation,alongsidenumerous state-backedRussianpropagandaduringthe BrexitcampaignintheUnited Kingdom.The studyshowedthatthemisinformationfromthe mainstreampoliticiansinthe UnitedKingdom wascited46timesmorethaneverylinkto
39 JanakeeChavda,“1In5AmericansNow RegularlyGetNewsonTikTok,upSharplyFrom 2020,” Pew Research Center,September25,2025, https://wwwpewresearchorg/short-reads/2025/09/25/ 1-in-5-americans-now-regularly-get-news-on-tiktok-u p-sharply-from-2020/
40 Chavda,“1In5AmericansNowRegularlyGet NewsonTikTok,upSharplyFrom2020.”
RussiaTodayandSputnikcombinedforthe durationofthecampaigningperiod. Furthermore,thosetwoclaimsappearedin102 timesmoretweetsthan3200Russia-troll accounts,eventhoughallthe Britishand Russiantweetsspewedplentyof misinformation.41 Overall, thefindingssuggest thatforpoliticians,entertainmentcurrencyis thenewgoldstandard, evenindemocratic countries.Withthisnewgoldstandard,the acceleratingspeedofpoliticalpropaganda maskedasentertainmentillustratesthat self-accountabilitytodiscovertruthisnolonger aviableoption Thus,tokeepthepublic civicallyeducated,governmentbodiesmust pursuerobustpoliciestoregulatesocialmedia companiestomaintaindemocracy
However,itbegsthisquestion:howisthistobe achieved?TheEuropeanUnionhastriedto compromisebetweenderegulationand governmentinterventionwiththeDigital ServicesAct (DSA)requiressocialmedia companiestoreporttheaccuracyofpostsand threads.However, theirdefinitionofaccuracy ismerelysubjective,asthereisnoformal definitionintheactitself(Weietal.2024). Therefore,Wei,Zufall,andJiaarguethat accuracyshouldformallybedeterminedby precisionandrecall,which,intheirwork, depictshowregulatorscandemandtruthand transparencyinadditiontogeneralflagging. Hence,regulationviatechnicalprocessescould createentitiesthatcanholdpostsandthreads accountabletoofficialcredibilitystandards.
Withthatinmind,doesmoreregulationhave legitimatepotential?Intheory,regulationcan reshapehowplatformscancommunicate validitytousersbyshowingevidenceof
41 GenevieveGorrelletal.,“Partisanship,Propaganda andPost-TruthPolitics:QuantifyingImpactinOnline Debate,”arXivorg,February5,2019, https://arxiv.org/abs/1902.01752
misinformation,ratherthanonlyflagging.An academicstudyproposesapolicyoffully informative tagging,wherecreatorscanknowif theircontenthasmisinformationandwillbe transparentlyflaggedduetoshowing evidence 42 Theirmodelsuggeststhatcreators willhaveanincentivetoinvestinaccuracy, curbingmanipulativeorout-of-context short-formcontentforsocialmediausers 43 Youngvotersarethebackboneofdemocracy; withoutthem,democraticsocietieswillnot learnfromthepast.However,iftheinformation theyreceiveisfalse,youngvotershavethe potentialtogiveupdemocraticfreedoms unknowingly.Indoingso,theauthoritarianor self-interestedpoliticians,whowilldo everythingintheirpowertoturnusagainsteach other,willgainmuchmorepowerinour democracies Withtheriseofshort-form content,youngpeopleareincreasinglyinclined toacceptinformationatfacevaluewithout conductingthoroughresearchtoverifythetruth aboutapolicyorcurrentevent.Howcan democraciessurviveacrosstheworldifyoung peoplecannotmaketheirownreality?Clearly, theshortansweristhatitcan’t,andcompanies thatpromotethiscontentprofitfrom misinformation Thus,regulatoryoversightof companiesthatproduceandpromoteshort-form contentisnecessarytokeepyoungpeople educatedand,indoingso,tokeepstable democraticinstitutions.
42 JohnnyTian-ZhengWei,FrederikeZufall,and RobinJia,“OperationalizingContentModeration ‘Accuracy’intheDigitalServicesAct,”arXiv.org, May16,2023,https://arxivorg/abs/230509601
43 Wei,Zufall,andJia,“OperationalizingContent Moderation‘Accuracy’intheDigitalServicesAct,” May16,2023
References:
Gorrell,Genevieve,MehmetE.Bakir,Ian Roberts,MarkA Greenwood,Benedetta Iavarone,andKalinaBontcheva.
“Partisanship,PropagandaandPost-Truth Politics:QuantifyingImpactinOnline Debate.”arXiv.org,February5,2019. https://arxivorg/abs/190201752
Chavda,Janakee “1In5AmericansNow RegularlyGetNewsonTikTok,upSharply From2020”PewResearchCenter, September25,2025.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/20 25/09/25/1-in-5-americans-now-regularly-g et-news-on-tiktok-up-sharply-from-2020/.
Wei,JohnnyTian-Zheng,FrederikeZufall,and RobinJia “OperationalizingContent Moderation‘Accuracy’intheDigital ServicesAct”arXivorg,May16,2023 https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.09601.
NoOneLeftBehind:GlobalSouth strategiesfordigitalsovereigntymustnot forgettheirmostvulnerablepopulations
By Aaniqa Karmali
FormanycountriesintheGlobalSouth,rapid technologicalgrowthintheGlobalNorthhas unleashedanewthreatofcolonialismthatcould jeopardizedigitalsovereigntyandwidenthe globaldevelopmentalgap
World Global Technology, Freepik,accessed2025, https://wwwfreepikcom/premium-vector/world-global-technology 143461077htm
AsGlobalNorthcountriesharnessthepowerof AIandblockchaintechnologiesinbusiness, healthcare,educationandothersectors,many GlobalSouthcountriesseemtobefalling behind.AIaloneisprojectedtocontributeupto $15.7trillionUSDtotheglobaleconomyby 2030,withthegreatestGDPgainsexpectedfor ChinaandNorthAmerica.44
MuchoftheGlobalSouth’spotentialtoreap thesebenefitsislimited,withinsufficientdata infrastructure,technologysectors,and regulatoryframeworkstofosteranoperating
44 DannyYu,HannahRosenfeld,andAbhishek Gupta,“The‘AIDivide’betweentheGlobalNorth andGlobalSouth,”WorldEconomicForum,(January 16,2023)
https://wwwweforumorg/stories/2023/01/davos23-ai -divide-global-north-global-south/.
environmentconducivetoAIgrowth.45 For example,policiesarounddataprivacyand algorithmicbiasarenecessarysafeguardsto mitigatetherisksthatcomewithprolificAI use,andeffortstodevelopthesepolicieshave beenconcentratedintheGlobalNorth 46 This hascontributedtotheglobal“digital divide” theGlobalNorth’sgrowing technologicaladvantageovertheGlobal South.47 Beyondthisincreasingeconomicgap, thedigitaldividehasalsoresultedinthe exploitationofland,resources,andmost importantly,labourersintheGlobalSouth.48
Behindthescenes,informationand communicationstechnology(ICT)dependson processeswithasubstantialimpactonboth peopleandtheenvironment Itinvolves“(1)the extractionofminerals,(2)ICTmanufacturing andassemblage,(3)softwareengineering,(4) callcentreandotherservicework,(5)the digitallabourofprosumers,and(6)the disassemblyofICT/CEresiduals”49 For example,thedatacentresusedforAIproduce toxicelectronicwaste,oftencontainingmercury andlead,thatleachintothelocalenvironment, andconsumelargeamountsofwatertocool electricalinfrastructure.50 Thebruntofthe
45 Ibid.
46 Ibid
47 NidhiTewathia,AnantKamath,andP Vigneswara Ilavarasan,“SocialInequalities,Fundamental Inequities,andRecurringoftheDigitalDivide: InsightsfromIndia,” Technology in Society 61(April 92020), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101251,8.
48 CédricLeterme,“NewNorth-SouthIssuesinthe DigitalEconomy,”Centretricontinental,April6, 2020)
https://wwwcetribe/New-North-South-issues-in-the? lang=fr
49 Ibid.
50 “AIHasanEnvironmentalProblem Here’sWhat theWorldCanDoaboutThat,”UNEnvironment Programme,(November13,2025),
environmentaltollandexploitationofcheap labourareabsorbedbyGlobalSouthcountries, whilethedataandprofitgeneratedthrough theseprocessesareculledbycorporationsinthe GlobalNorth 51 Asaresult,thecommunities hostingtheseinternationallabsseeverylittleof theeconomicbenefitgeneratedfromthe expenditureoftheirlocalresources Thisriskof exploitationcanbemitigatedbyinternal ownershipofthemeansofICTproduction, therebyenablingtechnologicalgrowthinthe GlobalSouthwithoutanyexternalimposition.
Sama,adata-sourcingcompanybasedinthe UnitedStates,isoneofmanycompaniesthat outsourcesdatalabelingtolow-incomeworkers insub-SaharanAfricaandSoutheastAsia As of2019,theiremployeesearnedamere$8USD perday,whilethecompanymade$19millionin profitthatyear 52 Moreover,companieslike Facebook,Google,IBM,andMicrosofthave established68%oftheirAIlabsoutsideofthe UnitedStates,although68%ofstaffarelocated withintheUnitedStates.Thismeansthatthe localpopulationsoftheirinternationalAIlabs areabletoreapveryminimalbenefitsin exchangefortheirresources.53
Thesedynamicsparalleltheunfaircolonial exchangestowhichmanyGlobalSouth countriesweresubjectedbyimperialpowers throughouthistory JustasEuropeanimperial powersracedtoextractmineralsfromAfrican countriesinthe19thcentury,GlobalNorth nationstodaypursuesimilartypesof exploitationthroughtheuseofcheapoffshore
51 CédricLeterme,2020 https://wwwuneporg/news-and-stories/story/ai-has-e nvironmental-problem-heres-what-world-can-do-abo ut
52 AlanChanetal., The Limits of Global Inclusion in AI Development,(February2,2021), https://arxivorg/pdf/210201265,2
53 Ibid.
labourintheGlobalSouth.54 Tocounterthis exploitationandpreventhistoryfromrepeating itself,GlobalSouthcountrieshaverecently takenstridestoachieve“digitalsovereignty.”55 Digitalsovereigntyreferstothe“exerciseof agencyandpowerinshapingdigital infrastructure,data,services,andprotocols.”56 China,India,andSouthAfricaarethreeBRICS membercountriesthathavetakenvarying approachestosovereigntyandhavehadvarying degreesofsuccess
Image Description: Models of state digital sovereignty in China, India, and South Africa (MinJiang,“ModelsofStateDigital SovereigntyfromtheGlobalSouth:DivergingExperiencesfrom China,IndiaandSouthAfrica,”Policy&Internet16,no 4 (December15,2024):727–38,https://doiorg/101002/poi3427, 730
Chinaisoftenunderstoodtohavesuccessfully achieveddigitalsovereignty Ontheonehand, itsdecades-longstrategyhasbeencharacterized bystate-leddigitaldevelopment,state ownershipoftelecominfrastructure,and managedmarketparticipationofprivate Internetfirmswithminimalforeign-owned
54 IvaPeša,“ToxicColonialityandtheLegaciesof ResourceExtractioninAfrica,” International Review of Environmental History 9,no 2(February21, 2024):33–50, https://doi.org/10.22459/ireh.09.02.2023.03,33.
55 MinJiang,“ModelsofStateDigitalSovereignty fromtheGlobalSouth:DivergingExperiencesfrom China,IndiaandSouthAfrica,” Policy & Internet 16,no 4(December15,2024):727–38, https://doiorg/101002/poi3427,727-730
56 Ibid.
marketshares.57 Therapidexpansionofthe ChineseInternetcanbeexemplifiedbythe increaseofChineseInternetusersfrom620,000 in1997to1.079billionin2023.58 However,on theotherhand,Chinahasbeencriticizedby scholarsforitshighlevelsofcensorshipand surveillance,describedsimultaneouslyasa “digitalpowerhouse”anda“digitalcensorship edifice”59
SouthAfricahastakentheoppositeapproachto digitalsovereignty Whilethestateactsasan enablerofdigitaldevelopment,itpossesses onlyaminorshareoftelecominfrastructureand practicesadecentralizedmarket,withthe majorityofthemarketbeingownedby Americanfirms SouthAfricaisnowhometo oneofthelargestICTmarketsinAfrica However,withthelargeproportionofforeign firmsdominatingtheirICTsector,itcanbe arguedthatSouthAfricahasn’ttrulyachieved digitalsovereignty.60
SouthAfrica’sgovernmenthasrecognizedthis vulnerability.Tomitigatethepossibilityof digitalcolonialism,ithasmadesignificant effortstoimproveitsdigitalinfrastructureand addressnationalsocioeconomicconcerns. Relyingonthe“trickledown”effect,South Africa’sgovernmenthopestotackleissueslike poverty,unemploymentandinequalityby improvingaccesstoICT 61 Thetrickledown
57 Ibid
58 Ibid.
59 Ibid
60 Ibid
61 ShannonVanWyk-Khosa,RosevithaNdumbu, andMatthiasKrönke,“Africa’sDigitalDivideIs Closing,butParticipationintheDigital(Ised) EconomyRemainsHighlyUneven,” Afrobarometer Policy Paper 95(August2025), https://wwwafrobarometerorg/wp-content/uploads/2 025/08/PP95-Digital-divide-in-Africa-closing-but-par
effectpositsthatbenefitstothewealthywill benefittheworkingclassbystimulatingjob creationandeconomicgrowth 62
Yet,thetrickledowneffectisnotalways reliable,andcertainlyisnotenoughtoaddress deep-rootedissueslikesocialinequality Statisticalanalysesshowedthat,inIndia, relianceonthetrickledowneffecttotackle inequalitiesbyincreasingaccesstotechnology actuallydeepenedsocialinequalities.
63
InvirtueoftheuseanddistributionofICTs beinglefttothewillofthemarket,thosein alreadyprivilegedpositionsduetotheircaste, location,educationlevel,orsocioeconomic statusdisproportionatelybenefittedfrom increasedaccesstotechnology Allthewhile, thegapbetweenthesociallyprivilegedand thoseindisadvantagedpositionsonlyseemedto widen Newformsofpovertyandexclusion resulted,mirroringexistinginequalitiesand disempoweringthemostvulnerablesectorsof thepopulation 64
India’sfailedattempttoaddresssocial inequalitiesthroughincreasedaccessto technologyrevealstheshortcomingsinmany GlobalSouthcountries’strategiesfordigital sovereignty Fightingagainsttheprospectof
62 WillKenton,“UnderstandingTrickle-down Economics:Theory,Policies,andCriticisms,” Investopedia,(November6,2025), https://wwwinvestopediacom/terms/t/trickledownthe oryasp ticipation-in-digitalised-economy-still-uneven-Afroba rometer-23aug25pdf,17
63 NidhiTewathia,AnantKamath,andP.Vigneswara Ilavarasan,“SocialInequalities,Fundamental Inequities,andRecurringoftheDigitalDivide: InsightsfromIndia,” Technology in Society 61(April 92020), https://doiorg/101016/jtechsoc2020101251,8
64 Ibid.
digitalcolonialismiscertainlyvaluable,butif donewithoutconsiderationofhowsocially disadvantagedpopulationswillbeimpacted,it canresultinagreaterinternaldigitaldivide.
Ratherthanrelyingonthetrickledowneffectto equalizeprivilege,GlobalSouthcountriesmust investinprogramstograntaccesstoICTsand relatedtrainingformarginalizedpopulations In linewiththisinitiative,governmentsshould investinpubliceducationandemployment trainingtodevelopICT-basedskillsamong individualsfromallsocio-economic backgrounds.65 Thisservesasameansof inclusionindigitalnetworks,empoweringthe sociallydisadvantagedtouseICTtotheir benefitwhenitcomestoemployment, education,andrelatedfields Onlythencan technologytrulybeseenasameansof mitigatingsocialinequalities
AsGlobalSouthcountriesemploystrategiesto shrinktheglobaldigitaldivide,theymusttake proactivemeasurestoensurethatmarginalized groupsarenotleftbehind.Digital neocolonialismisathreattobothdigital sovereigntyandsocialequality Ifthis sovereigntyispursuedwhilerelyingmerelyon thetrickledowneffecttoequalizesystemic injustices,effortsfordigitalsovereigntycan inadvertentlyworsensocialinequitiesinthe GlobalSouth Whiledigitalsovereigntyisa worthwhilegoaltoavoidcolonial-like exploitation,disadvantagedgroupsremain vulnerabletoexploitationiftheyarenottreated asvaluablestakeholderswhodeserveequal accesstoanduseofICTs.
Inchasingdigitalsovereignty,theGlobalSouth mustnotabandonthevulnerableorrisk becomingtheveryoppressorstheyresist
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65 Ibid.
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