Background

The growth rate of big tech companies is threatening the world. Microsoft, Google, and other big tech companies are building unprecedentedly large data centers around the world to develop general-purpose artificial intelligence. The development of these data centers is expected to enable big tech companies to secure advanced artificial intelligence technology and service infrastructure. Some argue that the era of “techno-feudalism” has arrived.

This session aims to present the topic of global inequality caused by the digital platform industry through the theoretical framework of ‘techno-feudalism,’ which is a controversial concept within academia. After an introduction to techno-feudalism, the session proposes “transnational data governance” as one institutional alternative to breaking the digital platforms’ mechanism.

Key discussion points

• What relational characteristics of data and platforms are driving global inequality?
• What are the main conflicts surrounding the current platform economy, and which actors are at the center of them?
• What are the challenges facing the periphery of the global political economy that are overshadowed by conflicts over platform geopolitics?
• What principles and norms should underpin a transnational model of governance that can overcome the bleak prospect of ‘techno-feudalism’?

Panelists

Moderator: Minhwan Min (Ewha Womans University, Professor/Academic)

Presenter: Sohee Park(Ewha Womans University/Academia)

Discussion:
Jisoo Yang(Ewha Womans University, Social Sciences)
Jungju Kim(Korea Internet & Security Agency)
Kyungmi Oh(OpenNet/Civil Society)
Youngkyun Jeon(Kakao)

* Please note that the opinions of the panelists are not those of their organizations or affiliations.

Korean version text