Project Title: Data Colonialism: Implications for the Global South and Global North

Role: Data Analyst

Project Description: This project explored the concept of data colonialism and its impact on the Global South and Global North, focusing on how data acts as a new form of colonialism affecting various aspects of society, economy, and politics. The study also examined the role of big data during the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications on public opinion and policy through social media platforms like Weibo and Twitter.

Key Responsibilities:

  1. Data Collection and Analysis:

    • Conducted a comprehensive literature review to define data colonialism and its manifestations in different geopolitical contexts.

    • Analysed the use of big data technologies during COVID-19, focusing on their roles and functions as summarised in a systematic literature review by Haafza et al. (2021) .

  2. Methodological Approach:

    • Investigated the use of social media platforms (Weibo and Twitter) during COVID-19 to illustrate how data colonialism influences public opinion and policy.

    • Explored the role of big data in pandemic response and its impact on exacerbating inequalities, discrimination, and conservatism .

  3. Findings and Insights:

    • Identified how data colonialism perpetuates inequalities between the Global North and Global South, with data being a new resource for exploitation.

    • Demonstrated the significant role of social media in shaping public opinion during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing biases and control mechanisms in place .

Project Outcomes:

  • Highlighted the pervasive influence of data colonialism in maintaining global inequalities, providing a critical framework for understanding how data is leveraged as a tool for control and exploitation.

  • Offered insights into the differential impacts of big data and social media on public opinion and policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing the need for equitable data governance and ethical practices.

  • Contributed to academic and policy discussions on data colonialism, proposing actionable strategies to mitigate its effects and promote fair data practices globally​.

Skills and Tools:

  • Data Collection and Analysis: Secondary Data Analysis

  • Research Methods: Literature Review, Qualitative Analysis

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