Giving by Taking Away: Big Tech, Data Colonialism, and the Reconfiguration of Social Good

By João Carlos Magalhães and Nick Couldry |||

Ever heard of Big Tech claiming they’re using data for “social good”? This paper looks into what that really means. By digging into corporate messages and patents, it shows that this idea of “doing good” often involves turning social benefits into data, probabilities, and profits. This process, the authors suggest, fits into the concept of data colonialism. When Big Tech “gives,” it often involves taking away, highlighting the harm to freedom these projects can cause. Download the paper here.