Digital Colonialism: The 21st Century Scramble for Africa through the Extraction and Control of User Data and the Limitations of Data Protection Laws

By Danielle Coleman |||

In her paper, Danielle Coleman argues that Western tech companies exploit African user data, a practice she terms “digital colonialism.” These companies leverage weak data protection laws and infrastructure in Africa for profit and market influence, providing minimal benefits to the data sources. Coleman examines Kenya’s data protection bill and the GDPR, highlighting loopholes that allow ongoing exploitation. Strengthening data laws alone, she contends, won’t fully prevent digital colonialism due to inherent legal and enforcement limitations.

Recommended Citation

Danielle Coleman, Digital Colonialism: The 21st Century Scramble for Africa through the Extraction and Control of User Data and the Limitations of Data Protection Laws, 24 Mich. J. Race & L. 417 (2019).
Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjrl/vol24/iss2/6